Void
by Matdeception
Summary: Nabiki gets Ranma a job in America, teaching at a certain school for Gifted Youngsters. Life for the X-men will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

It had started typically enough; A restless night's sleep, a piercing head ache, a feeling of... nothingness in the pit of his soul. Considering the hell that was his life, this wasn't anything he thought he should worry about. For all he knew, it was just bad gas.

Considering the monstrosities The Uncute One called food, it made perfect sense.

But then the dreams...

Of Blood, of endless war and the death that followed.

Of the words that echoed in his thoughts, conjured by the screams of the dying as they were burned by the fires of War.

The words that hounded him in the waking world...

'Only the strong survive.'

... And the Darkness that followed.

[][][][][][]

Void

Written By: Matdeception

Disclaimer: TBA

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The doors pulled apart, a fresh blast of air invading, feebly pushing back the sterile air of the Airport. He ignored them, the people as they passed him by, the sounds and chatter of children and adults, he was much too annoyed to care a spit about them.

'Nabiki, this is all your fault.' Ranma growled as he stepped out into the street. He knew finances were tight, she never let a day go by with out reminding him of that fact. It just wasn't fair he'd get all the blame when the loonies came by trying to kill him; heck he actually went out of his way to avoid property damage after the Middle Tendo had made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he would pay her back every last yen note she spent repairing the damage.

Fishing a slip of paper from his pocket, he stared at the address curiously. "Xavier's school for Gifted Youngsters." Glancing up and down the street, he grunted and moved on.

While he was more then willing to pay her back, he couldn't believe she had the gall to arrange something like this. A job in America? Teaching kid's no less! There had to be a law against this type of thing, he hadn't even graduated high school yet for Kami's sake! How the hell had Nabiki managed to not only get him a job in a whole other country, but get him transferred to a whole different high school at the same damn time? He didn't know much about America, knew the language enough to speak it, but hell if he could read or write it worth a damn.

As he neared an intersection he vaguely noticed a rusted brown jeep screech to a halt at the corner. The vehicle was loud, black smoke billowing out the tail pipe, combined with the smell of burnt oil it nearly made him gag. He glanced at the driver, a boy around his age with a chiseled jaw and narrowed eyes. He looked right back at him, glaring.

"Hey Pietro, get a load of this guy?" The guy snorted, looking him up and down, "He's wearing pajamas!"

Pietro, a silver haired kid that looked like an asshole, glanced over and snorted, "Holy... he looks like a flaming fairy! Who the hell wears bright red like that nowadays?"

Ranma just frowned. 'Nice, not even here an hour and there's already pricks in my face.' He debated a second about just smacking the both of them, but shook that off. They were just idiots, if he stopped to hit every idiot he saw he'd probably still be at the Airport. That didn't mean he was about to let them get away with insulting him.

"Go ahead and laugh." the pig-tailed boy shrugged, "This is your mom's shirt."

"Wha... what did you say you mother fucker?" The silver-haired prick snarled, nearly lunging at him.

"I am what I am." he smirked, leaping up thirty feet on top of a lamp post. He gave them the one finger salute, snickering as the Driver held the guy in his seat, glaring at him. He ignored them, getting the lay of the land before jumping to a roof and taking off.

'Don't have time to deal with the jerks anyway.' he sighed, pulling out the map that had been printed out for him. The faster he got to this school, the faster he could teach the kids what they needed to know, the faster he could skip this burg and head home. Hopefully before his fiancee's managed to track him down, that was one explosive situation he'd just much rather avoid.

He liked breathing, thanks.

[][][][][][]

Breakfast time at the Xavier Institute could best be described as hectic. Between the children fighting over the food, boisterous laughter mixed with pleasant conversation combined with groans when the children realized they had a test today, there really was no way to predict just how the day was going to be.

Today, however, the children seemed to be in good mood. Xavier smiled lightly, sipping his tea as he watched them joke and chat amiably. He burned that image into his mind, the smile on Rogue's lips, the way Kitty rolled her eyes, how Evan and Kurt laughed in tandem, the exasperated sigh of Jean as Scott just smiled and ignored her nagging. The Amiable atmosphere was contagious...

Shame, if things went as predicted, this would be the last joyful morning they would have for quite awhile.

He checked his watch, it was nearly time. "Children, we'll be receiving a new instructor today. I'd like you all to come home immediately after school to meet him."

Storm glanced at him knowingly.

"Another instructor?" Scott spoke up, "What is he going to be teaching?"

"Now now." Xavier just smiled, "I don't want to ruin the surprise. Just make sure you're here on time."

The kids shrugged, turning back and continuing their conversation.

"Are you sure this is wise." Storm asked, shielding her lips from view by sipping at some tea.

Logan snorted, but said nothing. They both knew exactly where he stood concerning this.

"I have my reservations, of course." Xavier allowed, "But ultimately, they aren't important. The children have been growing... complacent in light of their victories." he raised his hand to stall the woman, "We set out to teach them their powers, to put faith in what they have been gifted with, and we have succeeded admirably. But did we do the right thing? How much longer do you think they have before they run into a situation their powers can't handle?"

Storm knew this argument. It wasn't the first time it had come up. "But to arrange for them to fail so completely..."

The feral man broke in, "Winning is easy, getting back up after you get knocked down is the true test of a person's character."

"I understand your concerns." Xavier sighed softly, smiling comfortingly, "But where better to have their faith crushed, here where they are in no danger, or out there where failure can only lead to getting hurt, or even death."

Storm nodded slowly, staring into her tea cup thoughtfully.

"Trust me, Storm." The Professor continued, "I chose this path for a reason. Saotome-san will do what we can not, and then rebuild them stronger than before. They will learn that while their powers make them special, it is their minds that truly make them strong."

The children sighed as one, getting up and waving as they paraded out the door.

"Logan, inform Hank we will be having a guest down to meet him shortly. Prepare a full security exam and profile for Mr. Saotome." Xavier wheeled out, "Storm, if you'd be kind to wait with me in the Foyer, our guest is due to arrive within the hour."

Logan grunted, disappearing down the hall.

Storm spoke as she followed him, "I hope you know what you're doing, Professor."

[][][][][][]

Ranma blinked. Holy crap, THIS was Xavier's School? It was a mansion! Hell, their yard was big enough to fit Furinkan high, all the side buildings, and most of the block with room to spare! What kind of people had Nabiki set him up with?

He shook his head after a moment. Whatever, so the people he was working for were rich, they'd have to be with Nabiki's no doubt extortionist rates. He ignored the twin gates, jumping up and over the wall. He walked up the driveway, eying the house curiously. Life as a Martial Artist had taught him many things, most notably how to mark entrances and possible avenues of exploitation in a home. He hadn't really considered why Genma had taught him to do it when he had been young, but after learning the Umi-sen-ken and seeing the Yama-sen-ken in action, he wanted to strangle the panda for trying to turn him into some super crook.

The Pig-tailed boy just sighed, shaking that thought off. Best just to get this started...

He knocked on the door.

The woman that opened the door was a beauty, he couldn't deny it. Her starch white hair exotic, her smooth caramel flesh catching his attention so much he almost couldn't look away. She smiled at him, a calm serene thing that seemed so beautiful and so very, very wrong to him. It was flat, calm, and even, a practiced smile if he had ever saw one.

"Mr. Saotome?" She spoke in dulcet tones, snapping him out of his surprised stare.

"Eh... yeah, that's me." He coughed, "You Xavier?"

She shook her head.

"That would be me." He followed the voice, spying the bald, crippled man smiling at him friendly like. "And this is Ororo Munroe, a fellow instructor here. Please, come inside."

Ranma grunted, wiping his feet on the doormat and stepping inside. After seeing the outside, he was rather surprised at the homey, down to earth look and feel of the inside. Hardwood floors, some carpet here and there, even a chandelier but nothing that really screamed opulent. Comfortably rich, yes, but he just didn't get the feeling these people were the types to keep diamond studded tooth picks in their bathroom.

"Would you like a tour of the school?"

Ranma eyed the man, shrugging, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I just want to get this started."

"Oh? Is there any particular reason why, Mr. Saotome?" The Nubian beauty asked, staring at him intently with those calm, serene brown eyes.

She was starting to freak him out, honestly. "Eh.. Ranma, just Ranma. Calling me Mr. Saotome makes me feel old, I'm only seventeen for Kami sake!"

"Very well Ranma." Xavier grinned, "If you're certain you'd like to skip the tour, I suppose we can go below and begin the Security Profile procedures."

"The what now?" He scratched his head at that.

"This Institute has many areas that are kept secured for various reasons." Xavier explained as they stopped in front of a book case, he idly reached up and pulled a book, "As a resident, we need to create a security profile for system management purposes." he finished, letting the book go.

Ranma blinked as the bookcase slid back, revealing a steel door that slid open.

'What the hell has Nabiki gotten me into?'

[][][][][][]

'I am going to kill you when this is over, Nabiki.'

The Security Profiling had turned out to be a glorified medical exam. He had never seen more needles in his life than he had in the last three hours, and that was saying something considering he was a Master at Anything Goes Martial Arts Sewing. Though, the doctor, a blue ape, was kinda cool. Hank, he thought his name was. The other guy, Logan, was a dick though.

"There now, that wasn't so bad." His tormentor just smiled at him pleasantly, he had to fight back the urge to deck the bald bastard. Now was not the time to murder his boss, if he did he might not get paid, if he didn't get paid then Nabiki would cut Mr. Happy off, and he rather liked him where he was.

"If you say so."

He ignored the Nubian woman as she set out six folders. He was rather irritated she seemed to be following him around, and the longer she was there the stronger that feeling of 'wrongness' got.

"Well Ranma, these are the profiles of the children you'll be training." Xavier pointed out.

Ranma grunted, grabbing one randomly. He flipped it open, briefly glanced at the picture of a Brown Haired guy with ruby red shades, skimming through his information. "Huh... what the hell is an 'Optic Blast'?"

"Laser beams." The Feral looking guy put in.

"Okay... and why is that kinda crap in this guy's profile?" Ranma retorted, annoyed.

"Because young Scott can shoot these from his eyes." Xavier responded simply.

"Really?" He breathed in awe, suddenly finding the kid's profile all the more interesting. "That's wild." If this kid can shoot lasers from his eyes, what the hell could these other kids do?

He opened another profile, glanced at the picture of a beautiful red head with green eyes. "What the hell is Telekinesis and Telepathy?"

"She can move things with the power of her mind, as well as hear people's thoughts and communicate back to them."

"Talk about Privacy invasion." he shrugged, picking up the next folder. He blinked at the blue furred guy demon looking guy. He couldn't help but whistle when he caught sight of his power, "Teleportation, man that's all kinds of awesome." he glanced at The Beast, "Though man, don't breed anymore, blue fur isn't all that popular."

Hank blinked, "He's not my child, Mr. Saotome."

"For the love of..." Ranma sighed, "It's Ranma, please just call me that."

Next folder was a rather cute girl with white streaks intermingled through her brown hair. She had an unhealthy pale skin tone and sad eyes. "Memory and Power Absorption through touch eh?" he shrugged. Definitively not as cool as Teleportation.

Next folder had a kid with a blond flat top, "Self-regenerating exo skeleton?" he looked at Xavier for an explanation.

"Ah, yes, young Evan. He can accelerate bone growth, creating a resilient suit of armor, projectiles, and other assorted weapons."

'So he's like Mousse, only he doesn't need Hidden Weapon Style.' he snorted. Mousse wasn't the best fighter, he didn't think this kid would be either. He picked up the last folder, glancing at yet another cute girl, only this one looked happy. "What the hell is..."

Xavier coolly interjected, "She can walk through walls."

"Right." Ranma frowned, putting the folder down, "Now I'm kinda curious..."

"About?" Logan broke in.

"What the hell is up with these powers? Are they possessed, aliens, or what?"

'Aliens?' Logan mouthed. Ranma made a mental note to introduce him to the Tomobiki Ward.

"Ah, no, nothing like that." Xavier sweat dropped, "They were born with these abilities, it's a genetic trait."

"Oh." Ranma nodded. So they were kinda like Herb, but instead of being born with huge Ki Reserves they had funky red laser beams and could teleport, no big deal. "Alright, I get that." he frowned, "So you just want me to teach them some martial arts?"

"Ah, eventually, yes." Xavier quickly continued before the boy could ask another question, "Let me explain. These children came here with the promise that we would teach them how to control and utilize their special gifts, to accept this facet of their lives. We've succeeded admirably... and failed spectacularly."

Ranma blinked, "Eh, how's that?"

"They've accepted their powers, true, they've even far exceeded my expectations with their ability. However, they put all their faith in their powers, they believe it to be the central reason they're strong."

The Pig-tailed boy nodded. He was starting to get the picture here, "So they rely on that power all the time?"

"For the most part, yes." Xavier nodded, "Aside from Ms. Grey and Rogue, the others believe there is nothing they can't overcome with the use of their powers."

"Okay." he grunted, "So you want me to break that little habit?"

"Indeed."

"One problem with that, doc." Ranma groused, "Aside from beating them to within an inch of their lives, how the heck do you expect me to do that?"

Xaiver blinked. He threw brief glances at the other teachers before saying, "Well, because you're a Void Ranma."

The boy blinked, "Okay, I'll bite, what the hell is a void and what makes you think I am one?"

There was a pregnant pause amongst the adults...

"Oh this is rich! The kid doesn't have a clue what he is!' Broken by Logan shaking his head and laughing.

Xavier pursed his lips thoughtfully, "Ranma... you do realize you're a mutant?"

"Have you been talking to Kuno?" he snorted, "And what the heck is a mutant?"

"Oh my..." Storm breathed. Ranma just looked at her, shifting his chair away slightly. That woman seriously unnerved him.

Xavier rubbed his forehead tiredly, "A mutant is a human being with an Active X-gene. The X-gene is the next step in human evolution, it activates during adolescence and through a series of other factors, most notably stress."

"Okay... so I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say these kids you want me to break are mutants?"

"Yes."

"Cool." Ranma shrugged, "Hate to burst your bubble though, but I'm definitely not a mutant. No special powers that I didn't have to work hard to get."

Xavier frowned, opening his senses to confirm. He could feel the minds of the other adults, but where Ranma sat there was a void, a hungry void that withered and convulsed within the pit of his stomach. He let go of his power. "I assure you Ranma, you are a mutant, I can prove it."

Ranma chuckled. Oh this was rich. Him? A mutant? Not that he cared if he was or wasn't, but he sure as hell didn't get any free power ups like these kids did. All his strength was earned through blood, sweat, and tears. "You're welcome to try."

"Very well." Xavier glanced at Hank, "Mr. McCoy here is a mutant, his mutation gives him great agility and strength, but also affects a physical change."

"The blue fur?" Ranma added sarcastically.

"Yes." Xavier nodded, "Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, he can not shut off this power."

"Oh... that kinda sucks."

"You're telling me." Hank chuckled

"If you are a Void, when Mr. McCoy touches you then his mutation should be suppressed, allowing him to return to the form of his birth." Xavier looked thoughtful, "And if you aren't a Mutant, nothing should happen."

"I get it." Ranma shrugged, "Go ahead doc, lay it on me."

Hank glanced apprehensively at the Professor, at his nod he turned and put his hand on the boy's exposed arm.

Ranma boggled at the sight. The blue fur literally pulled back and vanished beneath the skin, the man's form slimming down as his muscles rippled and shrunk. In the span of a second the furry blue ape had transformed into a normal looking guy.

"Fascinating..." the man breathed, staring at his free hand in wide eyed wonder.

Xavier coughed, "Hank?"

"Hmm? What is it Professor?" The once-Beast asked distractedly.

The Professor just looked at him.

"Oh." he pulled his hand back, his body shifting and regrowing his fur as he did so. "Sorry."

Ranma just stared. He was a Mutant? Okay, fine, he could deal with that. Not like he even knew what a mutant was before now anyway. "Okay, so say I believe you. What the heck is a Void?"

"Well, a Void is basically a nullifer." Xavier explained kindly, "You are essentially a blind spot to telepathy, and as we've already proven you can nullify mutations through skin to skin contact."

"That's it?" Ranma grinned. That was kinda cool, he wouldn't have turned down a power up if it had turned out to be one, but he wasn't going to bitch if it wasn't one either.

"Well, as far as we've been able to determine, yes." He raised his hand to forestall the boy's questions, "Mutations are still largely unexplored, you could develop other abilities related to your nullification powers in the future, we just don't know enough."

Ranma grunted, glancing at the folders. "Alright. Guess this means I'm the man for the job after all." he frowned thoughtfully, "I'm going to need a place we can fight and not have to worry about too much property damage, do you guys know any place like that?"

"Kid." Logan grinned, it wasn't a nice grin, "You're going to love the Danger Room, I guarantee it."

[][][][][][]

"So what do you think this new instructor will be like?" Jean asked, getting out of the car.

Scott shrugged, "Who's to say? If he's anything like Storm, it shouldn't be a problem, but if he's like Logan..."

"Like, that would be scary." Kitty squeaked.

Cyclops tried to imagine two Logan's in the same room. He shuddered. That was like trying to mix oil and water, it just didn't work that way.

Evan shrugged, "I dunno about you, but I think another Logan would be cool. He's a good teacher, even if he doesn't... you know, actually teach."

Jean just shook her head at that thought. She didn't find the idea of a second Wolverine appealing, and thought it was rather unfair to wish this new instructor to be anyone else other than who he was. Oh well, they'd be meeting him soon enough and they'd find out what he's like.

As they entered the door they spied Logan sitting at a table, idly fooling around with what looked like a collapsible sword.

"We're home!" Kitty sing songed.

The Feral man snorted, "Shut up and suit up, you kids have a Danger Room session in twenty minutes."

Jean blinked, "Uh... I thought we were going to be meeting the new instructor today?"

"You will be." Logan grinned nastily, it was almost enough to send the kids running for the hills, "He's the guy you'll be facing in the Danger Room, wants to test your abilities."

Evan grinned, two bone blades popping through his wrists and into his hands. He twirled the deadly bone creations like a pro, "Oh sweet! He's a hands on kind of teacher, I knew I was gonna like this guy!"

Kurt nodded, "Hands on is always ze best, no?"

Scott shrugged, "We'll, you heard the man. Let's get suited up."

"One sec." Logan glanced at them, counting heads, "Where's Rogue?"

"Like, she made a new friend at school today. Her name's Risty, she seems really cool!" Kitty chirruped, "She said she'd be home a little late, but that she'll be here."

Logan frowned dangerously at that. "I see." He thumbed to the hidden elevator, "Get suited up, now."

[][][][][][]

"This is where you live?" Risty Wilde breathed in awe, "Are you rich or something?"

Rogue shook her head, but couldn't keep from smiling. She had only just met the girl, but there was something about her that made her like her. "Nah, it's just tha Institute I live at with the others."

"Cool." Risty smiled, "Want to show me around? I've never been to a place like this."

Rogue was tempted, very tempted to invite the girl in. She would have too, if she hadn't remembered the fact a new instructor was coming today that she was supposed to meet. She eyed her watch, grimacing. Correction, an instructor she was already late to meet. "Ah, can't. Got a new Instructor comin today, supposed to be ah meet and greet."

"Oh." Risty nodded, waving it off, "No big deal, can always do it later."

"I'd like that." Rogue smiled, stepping in the gates, "Tomorrow maybe?"

Risty grinned, "Sure thing! Bye Rogue!"

"Bye!" The Rogue turned and ran up the street as if the fires of hell were on her ass; Considering she was late, and Logan's likely reaction, she probably wasn't too far off on that mark.

"A new instructor, eh?" Risty frowned thoughtfully.

[][][][][][]

"I'm only counting five." He noted, rubbing his shoulder. He had taken off his traditional clothes, opting instead for a skin tight black body suit that covered every inch of his body from the neck down, except for his arms, leaving exposed skin from his hands to his elbows. His pigtail was undone also, hanging loosely down his shoulders.

"Yes, Rogue is missing." Xavier frowned, "We'll give her a few more minutes, if she doesn't show we'll have to go with out her."

Ranma nodded, watching the children through the two way mirror. The black kid, Evan if he remembered right, looked anxious. He was practically brimming in his seat, ready to explode in his barely contained excitement. The Beasts not-kid seemed relaxed, staring at the roof grinning confidently, while the cute girl, Kitty, was all smiles as she chatted with the beautiful red head.

His eyes lingered on Scott, or more importantly his visor. He was the guy with the laser beams right? "Hey Doc..."

"Yes?"

"Why does he wear a visor?" he pointed at Cyclops, "Is it just a bad fashion sense, or does he seriously think he looks cool like that?"

Xavier sighed, "Scott is much like Hank, his power is always on. If he doesn't wear the protective lens, then his powers would rage unchecked."

"Oh." Ranma grunted, "Is it just him, or do any of the others have the same problem?"

"Actually, Rogue has the same problem."

'Rogue.' Ranma reached into stuff space, pulling out the files. He glanced over the names until he found the girl in question. "... Oh, she's the one who can drain Memories and powers by touch huh?" he blanched at the thought. Not being able to turn off a power like that didn't sound fun at all. "That kinda sucks."

"Yes, it's an issue young Rogue has had to deal with since her mutation activated." Xavier shook his head sadly, "It's been difficult on her, not being able to reach out and touch anyone for fear of her power."

"I'll say." Ranma grunted, "She can't even get a dog! Can you imagine how screwed up it would be to pet your dog and suddenly know what it's like to lick your crotch clean?"

Xavier stared at him in horror, but Ranma didn't notice, putting the files back in stuff space.

The door opened, Logan stepped in and grunted, "Rogue's suiting up... Chuck? Something wrong?" He eyed the rather disturbing look on the man curiously.

Xavier shuddered, mumbling, "I'm scarred for life."

"You too?" Ranma blinked.

"I don't want to know." The feral like man snorted, "Once Rogue's ready, I'll give them a briefing and set them loose. You ready to do your thing?"

"Yep." Ranma paused by the door, glancing back, "Hey Doc, you sure about this? Cause once I start I'm not going to stop until they're in itty bitty pieces."

Xavier sighed thoughtfully, "Ranma... sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love in order for them to grow."

"If you say so, doc."

[][][][][][]

Rogue rushed into her seat as fast as she possible could, cheeks flushing pink at everyone's stare. "Not one damn word." she snapped, irritated.

If anyone was going to comment to that, they didn't get a chance as the door opened, Logan stepping in with a serious, no nonsense look. He eyed them all dismissively as he walked to the front of the table. "All right, now that Rogue has decided to grace us with her presence..."

Rogue just sighed.

"... we can get this show on the road." Logan grinned darkly, "The New Instructor had decided to ignore the meet and greet and get right to the pain. He's inside the Danger Room right now, waiting for you kids to get in there and show him exactly what you're made of."

"Hot damn!" Evan smacked the table, "Well what are we waiting for, let's get in there and show him what the X-men can do!"

"Not so fast, hot head." Logan growled, "I ain't done giving you your instructions."

"So, like, hurry up so we can get in there!" Kitty grinned excitedly.

'So god damn overconfident.' Logan snorted. 'We've put this shit off for far too long.'

"Alright, the rules for this little exercise." Logan pulled out a small note pad from his jacket, "Rule one, Safeties are in effect, but lowered to the absolute lowest setting Chuck would let him. It will hurt, a lot, so be on your toes and avoid getting hit."

Jean frowned at that. The Safety measures were in place to protect them from getting injured, or injuring each other. This new instructor really was turning out to be a second coming of Logan.

"Rule two; Anything goes, no restrictions on powers. He wants you to use every dirty trick you know, because he's going to be doing the same to you." he glanced at Rogue pointedly, "He's reviewed the files on your power and given his okay, if you can get your hands on him drain to your hearts content."

Rogue nodded darkly. "Fine."

"Rule Three; the simulation will only end if one of two objectives are achieved." The feral like man grinned nastily, "You either defeat him, or he breaks you." he pocketed the note, "Now, any questions?"

"What's the scenario?"

"An unknown assailant has made off with Vital information critical to the survival of the Human race, he managed to bypass all Security measures and hack the mainframe." Logan grunted, "He escaped into the city, and your team was sent to stop him. You have a green light, permission to shoot first and question the remains, and have no fear of hurting civvies as they've been cleared out of the area."

"No info on his mutation then." Jean pointed out.

"Nope." Logan shrugged. "Anything else?" hearing no response, "Get in there and show him what you're made of."

[][][][][][]

TBC?

I kept the reason for Ranma being there simple, and yes I used an apparently cliche mutation. I really don't see why it's Cliche, but then again I've only read Dragon Lu's Evolution fic, which didn't have it, and then my own (IF anyone knows a good Ranma/Evo cross, feel free to hit me up).

Anyway, no, the Void is not nullification. Rather, I can Nullify, but the Void is something far, far, far more serious. Right now Ranma's in a chrysalis stage, it's only a matter of time until he... well... matures.

And boy is that gonna suck.

CC welcome, not planning on posting this anywhere else right now.

Edited: Thanks to everyone, especially Foesjoe for editing this error filled monstrosity


	2. Chapter 2

It was a dark, lonely, barren plain submerged in a deluge of blood and bone. Pyramids peaked over the Horizon, golden structures of stone that echoed a remembrance of terror, of fear, of death... and of rage.

A figure floated just above the pool of blood, gray skin letting off a blinding glow that concealed all features, except for the long blond hair that flowed down his back and over his shoulders.

"En Sabah Nur." the name echoed through out his thoughts.

He had never heard such words before, but he knew what it meant. A terrifying chill swept down his spine as he spoke the words with out meaning to.

"The First One."

[][][][][][]

Void

Written by Matdeception

AN

Chapter 2: Loss of Faith.

[][][][][][]

The doors sealed shut with a dull thump, followed by a staccato of lesser bangs signaling the door locking. Scott stared down the dark empty street, the empty lifeless buildings sandwiched together leaving only the occasional alley as spacing. He gazed up at the dark star specked canopy, the moon shining brightly down on the abandoned city with it's soft, gentle blue glow, battling the glaring yellow lights from the street lamps that dotted the streets.

"Mission begins in two, check your instruments." Logan's voice crackled in his ear piece. Scott reached up and switched frequencies, "Radio check, test, test."

"Loud and clear!" Kitty chirruped.

Rogue ignored the bubbly girl, clenching her fists open and closed in a way Scott was starting to suspect was a developing habit, nervous at that. "Wha'cha figure?" she asked with out looking at him.

Cyclops checked his bracer, pulling up a bio monitor that momentarily flashed green before a red overlay of his team appeared on his visor, showing heart rate and the general health status of the team. "Standard search and destroy, Kurt get up to the roofs and scout, Jean, scan for any sign of our instructor, Kitty check out the buildings but stay close to the rest of us." He glanced at the Spyke, the boy already decked out in an exo-skeleton of bone, spikes sticking out of his back at odd angles with two bone short sword weapons gripped tightly in his hands, "Evan, flanking position near Jean, Rogue on me. Keep things nice and tight. Any questions?"

"Ah... as nice as that is..." Rogue rolled her eyes, "... Ah meant wha'cha figure they weren't tellin us?"

Scott sighed. He could understand the girl's problem, especially so soon after it was revealed that Principal Darkholme was Mystique, and that Xavier and the others knew about it but decided not to tell them. Their trust in the man had taken a grievous blow, a wound that hadn't fully healed and causing them to doubt everything they were told.

"You mean aside from who this instructor is, and what he's capable of?" Jean volunteered, rechecking her boot straps to make sure they were nice and tight. "I didn't get anything more then a feeling of anticipation from Logan, but I could be wrong, he's hard to read."

"Whatever." Evan snorted, idly swinging the bone swords around, the sudden displacement of air creating a swishing sound with every swing, "Don't worry about stuff like that, right now we need to be focused on showing this new instructor how much ass we kick."

"I'm with Evan." Kurt shrugged, German accent thick "Besides, they promised to tell us everything from now on, no?"

Rogue looked apprehensive, Scott sighed and said, "It's a valid concern no matter how we look at it, but Evan's right, for now we need be focusing on the mission." He took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't believe it's them hiding anything from us, but this new instructor who wants them to keep quiet."

Cyclops resisted the urge to smile at the grateful look Rogue shot him, he continued, "After the mission, we can ask them for some answers."

'Mission started thirteen seconds ago bub, so if you kids are done thinking up conspiracies, how about you treat this seriously for a change?' came Logan's irritated voice over the comm.

"Ah right, who fergot to change channels?" Rogue snarled, cheeks red in embarrassment.

Kitty giggled nervously, "Sorry." she squeaked.

[][][][][][]

Logan watched the video screens with a smug grin. As much as the kids needed to be taken down a peg or two, he really couldn't help but feel proud as he watched them spread out and begin their search for their target. Kurt was popping left and right, glancing around, before teleporting some where else and repeating the process. Kitty ran through the buildings while the rest of the team walked up the street in a tight formation, Scott guarding Rogue, Evan guarding Jean while the red head scanned the area with her telepathy.

It was a good tactic, and Logan figured if they were fighting anyone else but this kid, this scenario would have already been won. He checked his watch, frowning, "What's he waiting for Chuck?"

"Can't say." The Professor shrugged, keeping a close watch on the childrens Bio monitors. While he had been extremely leery about lowering the safety measures installed in the Danger Room, he had ultimately allowed it. That didn't mean he wouldn't pull the plug if things got bad, because he would. "He hasn't moved in the last half hour, and the kids have already past his location twice with out spotting him."

Storm sighed, "I'm surprised Logan, surely you can appreciate his strategy."

"Eh?" Logan frowned, looking closer at the screens. Everything seemed in place, the children were still vigilant in there search, though looking through Evan's monitor he did notice the boy idly twirling one of his bone swords...

Oh

"Heh, I see it now." He glanced at the weather witch, "He's waiting till they get bored."

Xavier 'Ah'ed, "When they'll start to get frustrated and make mistakes."

Storm nodded, "Given my nephews habit of flying off the handle, it's definitely a tactic that will yield results."

[][][][][][]

One hour later...

Ranma shuddered, coming awake. He rolled off the couch and yawned, stretching out as he did so. A rather angry buzzing sound caught his attention, he spotted a small ear piece next to the lamp. Picking it up he put it in his ear, "Yo."

"Mr. Saotome." Xavier's voice came over the ear piece, annoyed "The mission has been in progress for nearly two hours, what's the delay?"

"Eh?" The boy shrugged, rolling his neck to work out the kinks, and grabbing a black hoodie from the table. "Jet lag Doc, I was taking a nap."

"..." came the static reply.

[][][][][][]

"There's no one out here..." Kurt's bored sigh came over the radio.

Scott grimaced, rubbing his forehead irritably. "You sure you can't feel anything Jean?"

Jean sighed, shaking her head tiredly, irritated. "No one except us."

Rogue snorted, falling on a bench tiredly, "Ah, this just sucks."

"Your telling me." Evan snorted, trying to juggle his bone swords with little success, "If this instructors idea is to bore us to death, man is it working."

Cyclops sighed. This was turning out to be nothing more then a huge disappoint of a Danger Room session, all because the new instructor didn't want to engage them, or they had been lied to and he wasn't even in here. That was a thought, Scott grimaced, no one had actually seen this fabled 'instructor', for all they knew he didn't even exist and this was all some kind of demented test set up to teach them something.

Give Logan's penchant for sadism, that possibility made too much sense.

"Kitty..." he radioed the California girl, "... you've been pretty quiet lately, anything to report?"

The girls voice crackled back, nervous and a little guilty in tone, "Like, no, but I did find something pretty cool."

The rest of the team perked up a bit, curiosity bringing them out of their funk a little.

"What is it?" Scott wondered why he just had a premonition that ended with him screaming.

"Like, these couches are comfy!" The cheerful girl chirruped.

...

"Ah'm gonna punch you Kitty." Rogue snarled over the head set.

"Sorry!" the girl squeaked back, so much like a mouse.

'Oh for the love of...' Scott sighed, "Alright, Kitty get your butt off the comfy couch and get back here. Kurt, the same."

"We're giving up?" Jean asked, a little frown marring her features. Her disappointing tone might have had an effect on the teenage leader of the X-men, but it was ruined as the girl sat down on the bench next to Rogue with a happy little sigh.

"Of course not." Cyclops shrugged as Kurt appeared in a rush of displaced air. Kitty stuck her head out of the wall cautiously, smiling nervously at the glare the Southern Belle shot her.

"Alright team, any idea's?" Scott knelt down tiredly as Kitty emerged from the building completely, taking a seat on the road near him and as far away from Rogue as she could manage.

"Either we've missed something, or there isn't anyone here." Jean threw out, relaxing back on the bench.

"Y'know..." Rogue frowned, something Scott wondered if the girl realized made her seriously cute, "... Ah'm wonderin if there really is ah'n instructor at all."

Kurt sighed, sitting down on the street, "Maybe, but why would they lie to us about getting a new instructor?"

Evan snorted, "Knowing Logan, it's probably some big test designed to 'teach'..." he actually dropped his bone swords to make the quotation mark pose, "... us something important."

"But, like, what could bringing us in here on a wild goose chase teach us?" Kitty blinked.

"Ya mean ah'side from findin new ways ta slack off?" Rogue bit off sarcastically, glaring at the girl.

"... Sorry." The California apologized for the second time in so many minutes, scrunching in on herself shyly.

"I'm sure whatever it is..." Jean spoke in that oh so infuriating superior way that made the X-men, sans Scott, grimace. "... it's an important lesson, and we should try to figure it out."

[][][][][][]

"... Okay, as funny as it is, some one needs to show Kitty how to use her transmitter correctly." Logan groaned, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"I'm less concerned with Kitty's lack of knowledge with the transmitter, than I am with the children just giving up in the middle of a scenario." Xavier frowned thoughtfully, "Putting aside Mr. Saotome's nap, the children shouldn't so readily give up and leave themselves open like this."

Storm nodded, "I'm quite surprised myself. I expected this from my nephew, but he's the only one still on his feet."

"Where's that kid?" Logan frowned, glancing at the monitors.

"... He's right above them." Xavier sighed, "Has been for the last five minutes, the children still haven't detected him."

[][][][][][]

'Oh this is freaking hilarious!' Ranma had to resist the urge to fall off the building in hysterics. These kids were suppose to be some bad ass fighting force? All this so called 'Elite' force was doing was sitting down like idiots, shooting off theories that were just too stupid to be true. How the hell did these kids survive this long? They were lazy, stupid, and left themselves so open to an attack he didn't doubt he couldn't incapacitate them all inside ten seconds if he had too.

'Course, can't do that. Just beating them isn't going to break their faith." He frowned thoughtfully. He knew he could do it, but he'd have to pull back his punches a lot so they don't go unconscious, and... he'd have to make it perfectly clear they're powers were worthless at the same time.

A dubious prospect, but he didn't think it impossible. He just needed to wait for the right...

'HELLLLLLLO NURSE!' He grinned as the cute girl, Kitty if he remembered, stood up and stretched a bit, meandering away from the group towards an open alley way.

Time for the pain...

[][][][][][]

"Like, maybe the instructor really is here." Kitty grinned evilly, unaware it just made her more adorable. "Maybe the instructor is... one of us!"

Scott just groaned, "Where do you come up with these stupid ideas?"

"Hey!" The valley girl pouted, "I'll have you know I read about it in a Naruto fan-fiction!"

"Ah what now?" Rogue blinked.

"Naruto fan-fiction." Evan sighed, "It's basically a written story, some loser with lots of spare time takes the Naruto characters, and writes a story about them." he threw a pebble at the Cheerful girl, "Stop reading that crap, it'll rot your brain."

"Like, sure thing mom." Kitty stuck her tongue out in defiance.

Jean blushed a little, scratching her cheek cutely, "I kind of prefer NaruSasu..."

"Eat shit and die." Evan deadpanned.

"Stop oppressing me!" The red head glared angrily. "There's nothing wrong with two boys falling in love! Especially those two, Sasuke is so after Naruto's body."

"Ah'm scarred fer life." Rogue just sighed.

"You aren't the only one." Scott shivered. Jean? A Yaoi fan-girl? Who would have imagined?

Kitty sighed, standing up and stretching. It was kinda fun to change the subject from this stupid scenario, but really, now she was getting tired. And hungry, if her growling stomach was any indication. She just wished she could figure out what this stupid test was all about...

Distracted, she didn't even notice the figure blurring up the alley until he grabbed her by the face, moving with such force he dragged her screaming across the street before slamming her into an unforgiving building.

Time moved in slow motion as the kids, startled by Kitty's painful scream, turned and watched the California girl ricochet off the building and slam into the ground hard. The dark blur ran up the building, arching his way back down where he crashed fist first on the bench Jean and Rogue where sitting at. The bench crumpled like tissue paper as the force of the blow cratered the area, throwing rocks and dirt that peppered the two girls as they were flung away bodily.

Scott managed to catch sight of a pair of eyes, they were cold and focused, and worst of all they were barreling right towards him. Instinctively he readied a bolt of fiery death, but never got to fire it as the, impossibly fast, dark figure grabbed him by the hair and introduced his knee to Scott's face, hard. The force of the blow sent him sliding across the pavement, leaving a deep trench in his wake.

Kurt managed to recover faster then most, BAMF'ING in rapid succession, catching Jean and Rogue in midair and setting them down on the ground. He BAMF'ed again, trying to grab Scott and teleport away with him before their attacker could finish his strike, but he just wasn't fast enough. The Dark Figure seemed to realize what he was doing, and took offense by grabbing the demon-like X-man by his tail, lifting him up in a rapid spin.

'No one touches the tail!' Kurt snarled mentally, activating his power to escape this loop-di-loop of doom. He felt a cold chill race down his spine as the familiar tingly across his entire body that signaled teleportation faltered and then failed entirely. 'Oi... this is some bullshit!'

The enemy picked up speed, spinning faster and faster until all Kurt could see of the world was a blur of lights.

Jean looked up just in time to see the instructor slam Nightcrawler into and through the wall of a building, letting him go after the initial impact, she clearly heard Kurt go crashing through multiple walls before his flight had finished.

Evan slashed forward in a downward strike, managing a clean slice as his sharp bone sword cut a foot long hole down the middle of their attackers body suit. Their enemy looked down curiously, casually dodging the Nubian boys furious stabs and slashes like it wasn't even there.

Jean saw her chance, dragging herself to one knee she brought her hands up, clenching her fists as she brought her telekinetic powers to bear. Forming a cocoon of force around the instructor, he froze where he stood. Unfortunately the cocoon protected him from Evan's strike, bone sword ricocheting off to no effect.

The Dark Figure glanced at the red head...

[][][][][][]

"They caught him?" Storm blinked.

Xavier and Logan shared a look, the feral like man just snorting. "Guess so. Bet Jean's going to wish she didn't do that..."

"Why? They've won." The Nubian woman frowned at the knowing look Xavier and Logan shared.

[][][][][][]

"Wrong move, girl." The instructor snarled out just as a blinding blue aura erupted around him.

Jean winced, feeling her telekinetic bubble shredding to pieces as it came into contact with that blue aura. She didn't even have time to scream as the figure vanished in a blur of motion, leaping into an aerial round house and catching the unprepared girl in the face with enough force to send her rocketing down the street, crashing into the ground and digging a trench of her own from the force of her fall.

Evan wasn't nearly so lucky as the Dark Figure landed, kicking up the speed again and breaking directly through his guard. The first punch cracked his armor. The second actually shattered it into pieces, knocking the air out of him and forcing him to curl forward, while the third and forth punch lifted him up a foot in the air. The Dark Figure ducked, twisting up and around, kicking up and nailing the skater under his chin with enough force to send him back flipping through the air, crashing down and shattering another bench.

Rogue, recovered from the earlier attack, jumped on his back while wrapping her legs around his waist, she desperately gripped at his mask, but failed to pull it off as the Dark Figure decided to take The Rogue on the roller coaster called 'Ludicrous Speed, GO!'. With the sudden increase of velocity it was all the Southern Belle could do to hold on as the world vanished in streams of multi-fractured light.

Kitty managed to raise her head in time to see the flickering visage of their attacker leap at a building, twisting in mid-flight until his back faced the unforgiving wall, slamming into it with enough force to shatter the brick like it was made of glass. That had to hurt... unless, as the California girl noticed the figure shake something off his back, you happened to have a Rogue landing pad to cushion the blow, the Southern Belle groaning in misery from the pain.

Landing lightly, the Dark Figure eyed the groaning X-men, before vanishing in a blur of speed. Gone, like he had never been there.

[][][][][][]

Appearing as if from thin air, Ranma let off a staggering breath. That had been fun, no doubt about it, but keeping up that kind of speed was tough. That wasn't even considering how much force he had to pump out to break that tel-whatsitsname the red head had caught him in. He made a mental note, that red head was going to have to go down first from now on.

He eyed street below him curiously. 'Give them some time to recover... see if they learned anything from that attack, then I'll start round two.' He slid into the shadows, vanishing from view to lay in wait for the next attack to begin.

[][][][][][]

"Ugh..." Scott rubbed his forehead, trying to massage away the brain splattering pain, 'Dear god... this was with the safeties on...' It was a chilling thought for the leader of the X-men. Whoever this guy was, he was strong, fast, and merciless if the sight of his team curled on the ground in agony was any indication. He realized there was something wet on his face. Reaching up he tentatively touched the substance, pulling back and staring in shock at the blood.

"You okay?" Kitty helped dragging him out of his trench, the girl had a red hand print etched into her face from where their attacker had grabbed her before slamming her into the wall.

Scott grunted, ignoring the pain in his head. "Fine, the others?" he glanced around desperately. Rogue was leaning up against a building, head held low with her hair hanging over her face, he almost missed the dry tracks of tears on either cheek. Kurt was helping Evan to stand up after vomiting, the skater looked dangerously pale. Where was Jean...

There, down the street in a upturned trench of dirt and asphalt, the redhead laid on her side unmoving. Worry gripped him, like a cold claw squeezing his heart and threatening to rend it. He pushed past Kitty, ignoring her indignant cry or Rogue as she looked up with pain filled, hurt eyes that quickly turned away as he rushed to the downed red head.

"Jean!" Scott slid to a halt, falling to his knees and pulling the girl over on her back. He winced at the sight, the entire left side of her face was already bruising over, with a little blood leaking the side of her mouth. He pried her jaw open and glanced inside, there, a cut on the inside of her cheek. Good, she wasn't bleeding internally.

Alright, this scenario had gone on long enough. Switching frequencies, he chimed in, "This is over, my team is down, we need to get Jean to Hank now!"

Xavier responded, "I'm afraid the scenario is still running. Health monitors show that while damaged, none of you have sustained injuries that would require ending the simulation early." he felt the soothing voice of Xavier enter his head as the comm went silent, 'Most of the damage is illusionary, upgrades from Forge we never tested because it required the safeties to be lowered farther then I had been willing too before now. She's fine Scott, there is no reason to worry.'

It helped, Scott could admit, to know that. Thinking on it, he guessed it should have been obvious. He was bleeding pretty badly from a broken nose, or what he thought was a broken nose, but he couldn't taste the blood...

"Ergh..." Jean grunted miserably, she looked around blearily, "Did we win?"

Rogue grumbled, "He beat us like we were nothin."

Scott picked the girl up bridal style much to her protest, carrying her by the others and setting her down. He took a few moments to examine his battered team, then said tiredly, "Okay, so I'm willing to admit Kitty was right, and we aren't alone."

He supposed it was a lame joke, but at least it caused the California girl to quirk a smile, "Now, this scenario is still running, we need to figure out a plan before that guy comes back to hand us our butts again." he glanced at the irritated Evan, "What happened after I got knocked out?"

The skater grimaced, holding his stomach tenderly, "He threw Kurt around like a rag doll first..."

"Wait." Scott held up his hand to forestall the explanation, glancing at the Nightcrawler "How did he manage to do anything to you, Kurt?" The kid teleported at the drop of a hat, he was one of if not the hardest person to hit Cyclops had ever met.

The demon-like mutant grimaced, rubbing his tail protectively, "I don't know. I tried teleporting but I couldn't keep it together."

Scott frowned, glancing at Kitty, "And how the hell did he manage to get his hands on you Kitty?"

"Like, I was surprised!" The California girl grimaced, "... At first. I tried to activate my power, but I couldn't keep it together long enough either." she sighed, putting the pieces together for the rest of them, "I guess, aside from super strength and speed, he can keep some one from activating their powers." she frowned, glancing at Kurt's abused tail, "Like, through a medium, touch probably." She was the smartest girl in the entire institute for a reason, thank you very much.

Scott nodded. Able to keep inactive powers from activating, that was a damn useful power if you asked him. "Okay, Evan, continue please."

"After Kurt went down, I tried to take him on, buy some time for the others to get back on their feet." Evan grunted, "Jean managed to get up first, she caught him with her powers."

The red head pushed into the conversation, "I managed to hold him for a second or two, and then he erupted in this bright light that tore my telekinetic bubble apart. It felt like he hit every square inch of it at once with so much strength there was nothing I could do to keep it together, either."

Scott raised an eyebrow at that, "Are you saying he can disrupt active mutations?"

Jean shook her head, "No Scott, that's not what he did. A mutation is something that takes place in the body, my powers and your optic blast are the products of those mutations. He couldn't disrupt your beams once fired, because there's no mutation too disrupt."

"I see." the X-men's leader nodded to Evan to continue.

"Well, after he broke free, he kicked Jean's ass." Evan ignored the dark look Scott had, "Turned on me and handed me my ass ten ways from Sunday. Every hit felt like a jack hammer, tore right through my armor like it was nothing. After that..." he shrugged tiredly.

"Rogue jumped on him after that." Kitty picked up, "But, like, he kicked her butt too. Then he just stood there looking at us, and vanished."

Scott blinked, "You mean to say Rogue got her hands on him, and he still didn't go down?"

The Rogue snorted, "Ah didn't touch him, he got me off of him faster than you could spit."

Cyclops nodded darkly. "Okay, review time. He's got super strength, super speed, able to summon some kind of energy field, and can stop mutations from activating. Anything else?"

"Isn't that, like, already bad enough?" Kitty groaned.

"Heh." Evan grunted, thumbing at the California girl, "Translation: We're boned."

Jean frowned, "Not necessarily. We can assume, given how fast he acted to keep Rogue away from him, that he knows he can't stop her power from activating."

"Because it's always on." Scott finished in tandem, "That's the key, what we need to do is make sure Rogue has enough time to get her hands on him."

[][][][][][]

Ranma rolled his eyes. 'And they were so close to figuring out the entire point of this. Damn it, why'd that red head and laser boy have to be idiots like that?'

He listened to their plan from his hiding place, focusing his attention on the pale goth girl who would be pivotal to their efforts. The girl listened intently, but looked anything other then happy about it. She was practically glaring daggers at Laser Boy, though actually, now that he thought about it, she'd been practically glaring daggers at him since he picked the red-head up in his arms.

'Huh...' he frowned thoughtfully, 'She have a crush on him or somethin?'

He shook that thought off as pointless. What did it matter, it looked like he was going to have to fall into this stupid little trap of theirs to nail home the fact their powers meant jack and shit.

[][][][][][]

Scott peered around the corner, scanning the empty streets with a frown, "No sighting yet."

Evan crackled over the comm, "Can I PLEASE stop making all these things now?"

Jean crackled back, "How many you got?"

"There's a stack of bones here up to my waist." Spyke grumbled tiredly over the comm.

Scott shrugged, shooting back, "That enough, Jean?"

"I'd hope so." The red head muttered apprehensively, "So long as Kitty can spread them out evenly, it shouldn't be a problem."

The X-men's leader grunted, "Got that, Kitty?"

"Like, duh." The California girl snorted across the comm.

Scott grunted, "Kurt, Rogue, you two ready?"

"Ah'm ready." The Southern Belle returned darkly.

Scott wondered about that. The girl was getting more anti-social by the second. Had something happened to piss her off? Aside from getting their butts kicked by their new instructor, of course. He sighed, shaking that thought off. Now wasn't the time to worry about things like that.

"Alright, I'll start making a ruckus in ten seconds, if anyone needs more time say it now. We'll only have one chance at this, failure means getting beaten down." He counted to five, hearing no response, he finished the count down then ran into the street.

[][][][][][]

Ranma watched the guy as he ran into the street and started shooting off bolts of red energy like it was going out of style. He sighed, 'Looks like their starting up... what idiots.' he shook his head tiredly.

Their plan was decent enough, he guessed, but there were some serious flaws with it. Like this, sending Blast Boy out to draw his attention as if he'd fall for such a stupid trap willingly. At what point did these kids forget the scenario? He was the one with the vital information, he was the one being chased, not the one doing the chasing.

He sighed, shaking that thought off. 'Time to spring the trap.'

He leapt down to meet the X-men one more time.

[][][][][][]

Scott saw him jump down from a building through his peripheral vision, twirling around and firing off an optic blast quickly. The enemy swerved out of the way of the beam, dashing to the building as Scott followed his movement with beams still firing, he jumped and kicked off the wall, flipping over the beam as it continued on and blew out a large chunk from the building.

The instructor dashed in, either ignoring or ignorant of the massive amount of bone swords phasing up from the street. He leapt in a aerial round house kick that connected with nothing as Kurt BAMF'ed in and BAMF'ed out lightning fast. Landing, the Dark Figure flew into a blur of motion as red beams of fiery death and small bone projectiles rained down from the roofs, dancing through the hail of death as gracefully as a gazelle leaps through grassy plains.

Focused on dodging however, he failed to notice the trap before it had been sprung as all the bones lining the street came alive, blurring into a whirlwind of death that surrounded the dark Figure. Kurt BAMF'ed down with Scott, BAMF'ing away as the leader of the X-men tapped his ear piece.

"Now!" He cried, firing a beam of focused energy, the bone whirlwind parted just enough for the beam to get through and hit the enemy, pushing him a foot closer to the wall, before closing back in on itself. "Now!" he cried again and again, firing shot after shot through inescapable vortex of bone, pushing their enemy closer and closer to the wall.

It was time for the final push, Scott realized, amping his visor to maximum power and blasting a concentrated beam the size of a Buick as the swirling bone vortex flew up and away from it's captive. The Dark Figure didn't have a chance to so much as blink as the energy beam made contact, slamming him against the wall and sticking there as Scott kept the beam going.

The instructor was so focused on warding the energy off he failed to see or feel a pair of hands reach through the wall, grabbing small clumps of his body suit and fusing it with the surrounding brick and cement until Scott suddenly stopped firing. The Figure tried to move, but couldn't with so much of his body suit fused with the surroundings.

Kurt BAMF'ed in with Rogue. The Southern Belle wasted no time grabbing one wrist with both hands, gripping tightly lest he some how manage to escape their trap

Time froze for an eternal moment, a cheer from Evan up on the roof lifted the spirits of all the X-men. They had done it, beaten their new instructor by using their powers in tandem! Score one for the X-men!

And that was where it all went wrong. The enemy rolled his head to the side, meeting Rogue's curious and slowly growing shocked eyes, "Fell right into my trap." he chuckled darkly as a glowing sphere of power ignited in his hand, catching the Southern Belle and Kurt flatfooted, knocking them both away with enough force to send them cratering in the opposite building before falling to the ground, unmoving.

The Dark Figure stepped forward, body suit ripping away as he did so...

[][][][][][]

"..."

"..."

"Oh my..."

"Shut up, Storm." Logan growled.

"But look at those cute little hearts, Logan!" The Weather Witch chuckled, quite amused at the sight of Ranma completely naked except for his black hood and white, heart stamped boxers.

[][][][][][]

... and vanished in a blur of motion just as the vortex of bone came crashing back down. Scott managed to fire off another energy blast that proved about as effective as pissing on a raging inferno. He saw it coming before he could react, a punch that damn near knock his head off, strong enough to send him cart wheeling before slamming into the ground, unmoving.

The instructor flashed again, dodging the bone vortex that tried to skewer him rather then surround him this time. He leapt up, folding into a ball and breaking through the second story window. A meaty whack followed by being thrown out the window, and that was the end for Jean as she hit the ground and stopped moving.

Evan sweated, twirling around and spying the half naked guy staring at him pointedly.

"Jump punk, or I'm going to throw you off." was all he said.

The Skater didn't need anymore encouragement as he Peter Panned off the building, summoning a cocoon of bone to absorb the impact from such a drop.

[][][][][][]

Ranma shook his head, vanishing back into the shadows to watch and wait. 'Hopefully they'll figure things out this time, don't think they'll survive a round three.'

He glanced down at his boxers, staring at the very unmanly little hearts with a glare that should have caused them to spontaneously combust. Apparently, the boxers were made of sterner stuff, staring right back with absolutely no fear.

[][][][][][]

Kitty phased her head out from the pavement, eyes wide. "Like, yeah, we're boned."

"Don't just hide there." Evan snarled, pulling the dazed Scott to the others.

The California girl sighed, dragging the groaning red head to the others. She knelt down as Evan collapsed against the wall, eyes drooping tiredly.

It wasn't long before the others groaned awake. Whatever Safety measures installed made sure they recovered quickly enough.

Scott sat up, groaning as he tried to make all the bad dwarfs stop their evil drilling. "What went wrong?" he sighed out.

Kurt looked at Rogue, the girl huddled in a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. "I don't know, Rogue touched him but..."

"An nothin happened." The Southern Belle mumbled out tiredly, half in shock. "Nothin, not a peep, not nothin."

Kitty blinked, "Oh... so he doesn't just keep mutations from activating, he nullifies them all together." she winced, "Like, this just got worse."

Jean winced, tentatively touching a rather nasty bump on her head, "We need a new plan..."

"You can take your plans and shove them up your ass!" Evan snarled, ignoring the shocked looked from Kitty, Jean, and Kurt. Scott just sighed and closed his eyes to think, and Rogue was still too lost in her thoughts to care. "Let's face facts people, we're completely, totally, unmistakeably up shit creek with out a paddle here."

Jean snapped back heatedly, "Complaining won't solve anything! We need to think, to figure out a way to beat..."

"SHUT UP!" Rogue roared, face twisted with rage, "We ain't got a prayer!"

The red head looked ready to shoot back, but Evan wasn't having any of that shit, "Face it Jean, we lost. He's too fast, I'm never going to be able to hit him. Scott didn't fare any better with out you helping, and let's not kid ourselves, he walked into that trap willingly." the skater snarled, "So that's two down. Rogue can't do shit either, that's three. He's proven he can sneak up on Kitty, so she's out too, and all it will take to bring Kurt down is a touch, so he's gone too. That leaves you, and this guy's proven twice now that for everything we can do, we ain't worth shit."

Jean turned on the silent leader of the X-men, "Say something Scott!"

Scott sighed, opening his eyes tiredly, "And what do you want me to say?" he held up his hand to forestall the girl, " 'Get up, try again'? That wouldn't accomplish anything except us getting beat down again. And you know what?" he shrugged, "I think that's the point."

Kitty blinked, "You mean to say..."

Scott grunted, "We were put here to learn that we can't beat everything with our powers, to learn that while our powers make us strong, it's not always going to be enough."

The room shimmered, the buildings fading away into green light as the room returned to it's normal, dormant state.

The Dark figure stood up from his spot in the corner, clapping. "Well, better late then never I suppose." he pulled off his hood, revealing the young Asian boy beneath.

Rogue just stared, hugging her knees tighter but saying nothing.

The rest just stared at him, not uttering a word as he tapped his ear piece, "Yeah, we're done. Lesson learned I'd say."

The doors hissed, pulling apart as Xavier, Logan, and Storm entered. Xavier held up his hand to forestall the barrage of questions the X-men were ready to throw at him, turning to the Asian boy, "Nice work Ranma." he motioned to Storm, "If you'll follow Storm, she'll see about getting you dinner and a room..." he chuckled softly, "... and some clothes. Hearts do not suit you."

"Ah leave me alone." The boy snapped tiredly, "It's not like I planned to finish this half naked!"

"Be that as it may, shoo." Xavier smiled kindly, "We need to talk to the children privately."

"Right-yo." He glanced at the White Haired woman, following her out of the room. A distant cry of, "Damn it, stop laughing!" was heard before the doors sealed shut behind them.

Silence descended on the room, Xavier and Logan saying nothing, and the others not knowing what to say.

"Why?" Rogue cracked first, in a strangled whisper.

"When we invited you all to come here, it was a promise to teach you how to control your power, how to utilize it for the betterment of mankind..." Xavier began simply, "... and we succeeded. Yet some where along the way, we forgot to tell you that for all the power granted by your gifts, it is only a part of you, not the whole." he sighed, "We realized our mistake as time went on, as you gained more and more confident in your powers you began to believe your powers were the total sum of who you were."

Scott grunted, "To show us that our powers can't guide us through ever situation, that too?"

"Correct. While young Ranma's mutation is more direct then some, there are other mutants capable of locking down your powers, sensory deprivation for example." Xavier sighed, "After all, what good are your powers if you can't see? If you can't hear, or taste, or touch? There are forces out there that can and would kill you if given the chance, we decided to bring him in train you, but before that he had to show you that while mutations are powerful, they are not the only power in the world."

Logan grunted, "Can you guys tell me his mutation?"

Kitty sighed, "Like, super speed, strength, can summon an energy field and can shut down mutant powers?"

"And throw energy blasts." Evan threw in tiredly.

"I see." Logan chuckled

"He has more?" Jean shuddered at that thought. The guy was practically a walking god as he was.

Xavier shook his head, "If you take away the speed, strength, and energy manipulation from that equation, then yes, that's his mutation."

"But..." Rogue grimaced, "... Yer sayin his mutation can shut down other mutations? What about the rest?"

"Training, ability, skill." Logan shrugged, "The kid is a martial arts legend in the making, able to manipulate his own Ki... er, bio energy... wait, just call it Life force. Anyway, he can manipulate his own life force to increase his strength, speed, toughness, and yeah, throw energy blasts." the feral like man shrugged, "Probably other stuff too for all we know."

Evan breathed, "How? Something like that shouldn't be possible!"

"Is it any less believable then your mutation Evan?" Xavier asked thoughtfully, "There are forces in this world we have yet begun to truly understand, but that doesn't make them any less real."

Rogue shuddered, letting her knees go, she took a deep breath and sighed "So this guy, Ranma... he's gonna teach us?"

"In-between school and tutoring, yes." Xavier nodded, "He's only seventeen, we had to make some concessions in order to hire him, which includes continuing his High school education for as long as he's here."

"I get'cha." The Southern Belle grunted, standing up. "We free to go? Ah'm hungry."

"Check with Hank before having dinner, but otherwise yes, you're free to go." Xavier smiled softly, watching as the X-men left the Danger Room. Only Scott stayed behind, staring at the floor.

"Scott?"

"I failed them." The Leader of the X-men sighed, "I should have realized when he first beat us that something was up, I was the one who convinced them to fight him again, I encouraged them to use their powers even when it was obvious that wouldn't work."

Logan grunted, kneeling and slapping the kid across the face, hard. Scott stared at him in shock. "You done feeling sorry for yourself, or do you want me to slap you again?"

"Logan..."

"Let me handle this Chuck." The feral like man shot back, "So you screwed up, got your team mates beat up in the process. If you want to feel sorry for yourself, go ahead. But let me tell you something." Seriousness dripped from every word, as if they were the most important words Wolverine had ever uttered in his life, "Winning is easy bub, it's getting up after you fall that's hard. Those kids are gonna need you now more then ever, to help em get back up, but if you plan on just sitting here feeling sorry for yourself then you're just going to make it harder on everyone."

Scott sighed, standing up. "You're right."

"I know I am kid, I know I am."

"So humble too." Xavier snorted.

Cyclops looked between the two men, face hardening as he thought about his team and how he failed them. He swore to himself then and there, he'd never fail them again. Not as long as he still had breath in his lungs.

The X-men had fallen.

He'd make sure they got back up, it was his privilege as their leader.

[][][][][][]

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Her cellphone rang, dulcet tones of her favorite song drawing her from her restful nights sleep. Throwing the covers off and grumbling at the unfairness of it all, she stumbled lethargically to her desk and picked up her cellphone. Flipping it open, she blinked at the text message.

'Package in place?' - Mez

She shook her head tiredly, quickly typing out a message in return.

'Saotome in play, my money?' - Nabs

She climbed back into bed, cell phone in hand, getting snug under the covers as she waited. She didn't have to wait long.

'Deposited.' - Mez

Nabiki closed her cellphone, tossing the small item on the floor before snuggling into her pillows, drifting off to dreams of Yen notes.

[][][][][][]

Void

Written by: Matdeception

Disclaimer: Don't own shit.

Editor: Foesjoe

[][][][][][]

Chapter 3: Tempers and laughter.

[][][][][][]

Kurt Wagner was an opportunist. That the opportunities he liked to indulge in was really nothing more then practical jokes didn't make him any less then what he was. He was the Joker, the weird little guy people tended to think of as mostly harmless until he went and did something against the grain that, for lack of better terminology, fucked everything up. The outcomes of his little jokes didn't matter, so long as the people involved could look back and smile when it was all said and done.

And he was good at it.

He felt his senses blur, hiccuping as the world twisted and reformed in a puff of purple smoke. The room was dark, what little light present leaked in through the open window, the moons gentle touch bathing the sleeping figure on the bed with a pale outline.

Kurt didn't particularly like the boy sleeping on the bed, especially after yesterday's little 'Test'. While not a malicious person by nature, he was loyal to a fault to those precious few people he called friends and family, and right now his family was hurting because of him, which upset him in a way few people have ever been able to before now...

[][][]

Tension was high, an almost tangible cord that ran through out him and his friends. No one talked, pensively sitting and eating their dinner with silence, morose over their complete, absolute, devastating failure not an hour ago. Kurt wasn't blind, friendships had been strained back there, between them all. Jean did not so much as pretend Evan, Scott, or Rogue were even present, ignoring them completely and utterly as she ate her food.

Evan didn't seem to care either, glaring daggers down the table at their new instructor as he stuffed his face.

"Are you paying attention, Mr. Saotome?"

The boy looked up with a blink, licking his lips to clear away the dripping soup, "Eh... yeah." he grunted, grabbing a roll from the basket, "Monday's, Wednesdays, and Friday's I'll be training them." he thumbed at the other end of the table, ignoring the dark looks being shot to him by Evan, Jean, and Rogue, "Tuesdays and Thursdays you'll kidnap me for something 'educational', week ends I'm free to do whatever I like. That right?"

"Correct." The Nubian woman nodded, reaching into her pocket and producing a small, sleek cellphone with the X motif etched in gray on the back, "This is your cellphone, in case of emergencies."

Ranma picked up the phone with a weird look, "Okay..." he shrugged, thrusting his arm out, the black little phone vanishing from his hand, "... anything else?"

The Weather Witch nodded slowly, eying his now empty hand with a curious glance, "Just your school schedule..."

Kurt frowned as Rogue grimaced, tearing her gaze away from the boy, glaring at her soup with fierce eyes. He could see the girl gripping her spoon tightly, knuckles white and threatening to pop. He couldn't even begin to guess just what was wrong with the girl, she had been a tight little ball of emotion since the Danger Room, primarily anger and... something else, but he couldn't figure it out.

Scott grunted, "Looks like we'll be training with him again tomorrow."

"I just want that prick gone." Evan snorted, ignoring or ignorant of the half lidded glare Rogue shot him at that.

"Like, I think he's pretty nice..." Kitty put in weakly, "... at least he's not rubbing it in, y'know?"

Jean set her spoon down, the ting of metal against glass and loud enough to break up the conversation. "Excuse me." she pushed out her chair, and walked away with out so much as glancing at anyone.

Scott glanced at her exit, turning back to the rest with a subtle frown, "Think I'm calling it a night." he left also, food untouched. Evan grunted, following his lead with out so much as a word.

"Ah'm not hungry anymore." Rogue dropped her spoon, casting one last scathing glare at the pig-tailed boy, quietly walking away.

Kurt spared Kitty a glance, the girl practically sagging in her seat sadly. It was a sight he'd never thought he'd see of the normally chipper California girl. He frowned, glancing at the boy as he laughed loudly at something, ignoring the less then amused snort from the Weather Witch. This was the guy who hurt his friends...

[][][]

Kurt tiptoed across the room, careful not to make a sound and wake the instructor. He found his dresser, easing the top drawer open. He glanced around a second, closing it and opening the next one. 'There it is.' he grinned, picking up a pair of boxers, these with little duckies on them. 'Heh, this is going to look so funny on the flag pole at school!'

He closed the drawer quietly, and readied to teleport when he felt a hand grab him by the back of his neck, turning him around and pushing him up bodily against the wall and holding him there. He instinctively tried to teleport, felt that warm pulse in his belly begin to expand before being ruthlessly beaten down.

"Now ain't this a surprise?" Came the tired, and annoyed voice. He glanced down at the boxers in Kurt's hands, frowning. "Eh... you weren't about to do something with those, were you?"

Kurt chuckled nervously, "Uh, no?"

Ranma nodded. He glanced up at Kurt's face curiously, "Hey, how long does it take to grow your fur back?"

"I... I don't know?" Kurt didn't like this line of conversation.

The boy grunted as a electric razor appeared out of freaking nowhere in his hand, "Sucks to be you then, eh?"

[][][]

Funny how a night's sleep changes things? She had gone to bed upset, a little lost, and not a little irritated at their new instructor, but now... well she was still irritated, and a little lost, but not upset. More... sore, she guessed the feeling was, physically and emotionally.

Rubbing her shoulder to ease some of the left over pain from being used as a high speed air mattress, Rogue stepped down the stairs quickly. She almost tripped when the bubbly jubilant girl, Kitty shouted behind her. She glanced, green eyes tracing up the marble stairs to the cheerful girl practically skipping down, smiling brightly. Rogue felt some of that irritation fading slightly with the girls presence.

"Morning Rogue!" Kitty gushed, "Like, you wouldn't believe the dream I had last night!"

The Southern Belle smiled, she just couldn't help it. Kitty's cheer was contagious, but she supposed that was why she liked the girl. "Ah... you gonna tell me I suppose?"

Kitty grinned as she went down the stairs, the other girl in tow, "Like, I had the strangest dream about a guy, he was really really cute! And, oh my god he was wearing the cutest little boxers with hearts and..." she blinked at the Mississippi girl's groan. "I say something wrong?"

"Wasn't a dream." Rogue grumbled, "He's tha new instructor, Ran something."

"Ranma Saotome." a very unwanted voice spoke up behind them, startling both girls who turned and looked at him in wide eyed surprised. "Wha?" Rogue stuttered when she caught sight of his grey-blue eyes.

"My name..." The boy smiled, "... is Ranma Saotome."

"Oh." the Southern Belle nodded dumbly, before she remembered she was still irritated at the jerk. "Whatever." She said with a snort, rushing a little too quickly away from him and into the dining room. The boy watched her go curiously, before shrugging.

Kitty giggled nervously, "Ah... hi."

Ranma glanced at the girl, "Morning Pryde." He stepped past her, heading into the dining room.

"... Whoa, he is cute!" Kitty chirruped, following him into the dining room. She only made it a few feet before she realized something was terribly wrong here. Ranma kept going down to the other instructors, who just looked at him sternly as he sat down.

That wasn't what caught her attention however, it was the other X-men. From Scott to Jean and all the way to Rogue, they were all staring in slack jawed wonder. She followed their gaze to Kurt, frowning a little. What was wrong with Kurt? He was actually glaring at the table, and for the life of her she had never seen the normally happy go lucky boy so much as frown, much less glare. When he glanced up at her she froze in shock.

"What the?" Kitty blinked. She rubbed her eyes, nope still there. The word 'PERVERT' had been buzzed onto Kurt's forehead.

"Not one word." The Demon-like mutant growled, practically glaring holes into anyone who stared in his direction

"... kay." The girl stared even as she took her seat at the table.

[][][]

"Why'd you do it, punk?" Logan growled.

Storm frowned, "What makes you think Mr. Saotome did such a thing?"

Ranma blinked, "Huh? What are you two talking about?"

The Feral like man pointed his finger at Kurt, unaware of the children staring at them while Kurt just shrunk in on himself, "You shaved that into his forehead, didn't you?"

The Pig-tailed boy blinked, following the elder man's hand to the person in question. He grunted, nodding, "I sure did." he turned back to the Wolverine with a frown, "There a problem with that?"

"PROBLEM!" That shout did not come from Logan, but rather Rogue as the girl slammed her hands on the table, "Ya jerk! Ya think ya can come in here an just do crap like this?"

Ranma glanced at her, irritated, "You got a problem with me?"

"Yer damn right, ah do!" the Southern Belle snarled, ignoring Kurt as he tried to waved the girl down. "Yer a prick, ya ain't got no right ta do this ta Kurt!"

The pig-tailed boy shrugged, stepping away from the table. "Before you go and throw around insults, why don't you actually ask Wagner what he did to deserve it." he pushed into the kitchen, ignoring the death glare Rogue and Logan shot him as he walked away.

"Asshole." The Rogue sat back down, ignorant or ignoring the frowns from Logan and Storm as she did so. She glanced at Kurt, the guy looked horrified, "What?"

"It..." He winced, "... He caught me trying to pull a prank..."

Rogue frowned, getting a sick feeling in her stomach at that, "... What did ya do?"

"... I tried to steal his underwear and..." he sighed, "... put it up the flag pole."

"Ah..." Rogue winced herself. Open mouth, insert foot, you're so gonna get it for this Rogue ole girl.

"Oh is right." Logan stepped up behind the girl, irritation dripping off his every word. He glanced at the other children, thumbing the door, "Get lost."

The children tore out of there like the fires of hell were on their ass, in all honesty it probably would have been if they had stayed. Kitty didn't make it far, Storm calling out to her. "Kitty, can I talk to you in the kitchen a moment?"

The Cheerful girl nodded, pivoting and running through the table and then the wall, vanishing into the kitchen.

Storm spared Rogue a disapproving look, following after the Shadow Cat

Logan waited until they left, grabbing the girls chair and twisting her around until she faced him. "What is your problem?"

Rogue squirmed under his gaze, head lowered shyly, "Ah... Ah'm sorry, Ah didn't know Kurt had tried..."

"I didn't ask for an apology." Logan coolly snapped, "I'm not the guy you need to apologize too anyway, but that can wait for later. I want to know what your problem is with Ranma."

"Ah don't know what'cha talking about." the girl shrugged apprehensively.

The Wolverine snorted, "Cut the shit Rogue. I could understand being upset yesterday, he worked you all over good, but not even that hot head Evan was all that mad this morning. If that punk can get over it, I know you can, so either you let it out to me or you can let it out to Chuck."

The Rogue winced at that threat. As kind as Xavier was, he had a temper that made Logan look like a playful kitten when he really got going. She shuddered, "Ah... ah just don't like him. He's such an ass... and I dunno, I just don't want him ta be around me."

Logan blinked, "... You don't like the fact he can touch you." he was more surprised then curious.

"... Ah never said that!" the girl defended weakly, cheeks going a little pink at the accusation.

"But it's true, isn't it?"

"..." She said nothing, finding the carpet particularly interesting this morning.

Logan grunted, "I ain't gonna push this for now." he raised one eyebrow at sudden relief to pass through the girl, "But if I were you I'd get whatever bug crawled up your ass out of your system right now. He's going to be around awhile, training you lot, pissing him off isn't going to help you out at all."

Rogue frowned, "Ah... can always refuse tha training, right?"

"Sure can." The Feral Like man nodded, "You'd be off the team faster then you could blink, but it is your right."

"Why?" The girl choked out, "Jus cause I don't want ta deal with him..."

"This stopped being about you when you became part of the team, Rogue." Logan grunted, "It's about what's best for the whole group, and that kid is what's best for you guys now, like it or not."

"Ah..." the girl took in a deep, shuddering breath. "... Ah understand."

"Good."

[][][]

Ranma opened the refrigerator curiously, examining it's innards before pulling out a small bottle of orange juice. He popped the cap, taking a drink, enjoying the cool tangy taste. Ah, that hit the spot. He leaned up against the counter, closing his eyes tiredly. He wasn't irritated with Rogue, in fact if he had to describe how he was feeling it would be apathy, he had to deal with worse blow ups and aggravations back in Nerima. He was still curious, however, he couldn't miss the genuine out rage and anger radiating off the girls in waves. While he hadn't actually been examining the girls aura, that didn't mean he couldn't feel the waves of raw emotion radiating off her...

He frowned. The fact he could feel emotions radiating off her shouldn't be possible, not unless he actually switched his perception to Aural sight. She wasn't a martial artist yet, shouldn't have an aura to speak of, shouldn't be able to hit him with her feelings like that. Only other martial artists could do that, or anyone with a developed aura primed for Ki manipulation he supposed, but that always meant you were a fighter anyway.

So how? What made her different from the grain. He couldn't really think of anything, aside from the whole mutant...

'Oh you have got to be shitting me.' The boy groaned, rubbing his head tiredly.

"Ranma?" Storm's voice broke in on his quiet contemplation. 'Perfect.' he grinned mentally, taking in a deep breath as he twisted the aura around his head. He opened his eyes, a small blue consistent glow coming forth, and winced at all the bright, vibrant colors that threatened to blind him. He shook off the sudden disorientation, he didn't really use this ability all that much, as it always came with an extreme sense of vertigo when he tried.

"Like, Mr. Saotome?"

"Oh for the love of!" the boy snapped, glancing at the girl, "Call me Ranma, just..." he blinked, rubbing his eyes. Nope, still there, the little girl's aura was practically blinding in it's intensity, but it was weird. Like it had been fragmented into a million pieces, still part of the whole but definitely separate. He glanced at Storm, frowning. Her aura was like a lightning cloud, thick and dark with what he could only describe as... aural lightning bolts twisting through out the 'clouds'

"Unreal..." he breathed in awe, staring right into the center of Storm's aura.

"Ah, Ranma." Storm frowned, crossing her arms, "My eyes are up here, young man."

Ranma snapped to attention with a blush, ripping his eyes away from the woman's chest, where the center of her aura JUST so happened to be. "Ah, it ain't what it looks like!"

"... Pervert." Kitty teased playfully.

The Nubian woman raised an eyebrow at the agitated looks he was throwing both herself, and Kitty. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes! No! I dunno!" he pointed a hesitant finger in their direction. He had a sinking suspicion he knew exactly what was going on here, but he wasn't sure. "Pryde, do me a favor will you?"

"Like, another one?" The Cheerful girl shrugged, "Sure sure."

He ignored the 'Another One' comment, quickly asking, "Can you walk through something?"

"Eh... sure." The girl shrugged, walking through wall and back.

Ranma frowned. He had seen it, but only for a split second as the girl passed through the wall and came back. "Do it again, slowly though."

Storm glanced at the Shadow Cat, shrugging.

"Like, okay..." her tone was hesitant, but he ignored that as she walked through the wall slowly. As soon as she came in contact with the wall he saw it happening, her aura breaking apart slightly and literally becoming part of the wall. He couldn't get anymore then that before she passed completely through the wall. He waited for her to come back, grunting as her blinding aura appeared on the wall a half second before she herself appeared, looking curious and annoyed.

"This isn't fair." Ranma pouted adorably, "How do you do that?"

Storm frowned, "It's her mutation Ranma, we went over this."

"Yeah yeah, I know that." The boy snorted, "I'm talking about how she breaks apart her aura like that. It's in pieces, it just seems to shoot out when she's about to walk through the wall."

Kitty blinked, "Uh, like, have no idea what that means." she glanced at Storm, the older woman shrugging.

Ranma rubbed his chin thoughtfully. So Mutations had something to do with their Ki, which was cool and infuriating all at the same time. He had to train his aura from scratch to get to where he was, but here was a little girl with no martial arts training just given a fully trained aura. Sure it seemed to only be one dimensional in what it could do, but it still wasn't fair.

Though that did raise the question if all Mutations had this. Storm was furthur proof, he looked down at himself curiously. He didn't see anything strange, at least nothing stranger then he saw when Cologne first taught him this trick. That must mean he had activated that Void mutation prior to learning the trick, or even before Cologne showed up, he didn't doubt the woman didn't regularly scan him, yet she never mentioned seeing his aura change.

"Ah, forget it." Ranma sighed, his eyes returning to normal as he killed his aural sight. He'd need to do some more research on this, heck if he could find a way to copy a mutants aura... the possibilities were endless!

"If you're done then..." Storm smiled calmly, "Kitty has agreed to lead you to school, and show you around."

"Eh.." Ranma nodded with a smile, "Thanks Pryde, means a lot."

"Hehehe..." the girl nervously laughed, glancing at the clock and gasping, "Like, we have to run! We're going to be late!" She said, storming out the kitchen like a demented lemming.

Ranma blinked, rushing after the girl.

Storm just sighed.

[][][]

"Yo Pryde, hold up!" Kitty slid to a halt as the boy caught up immediately.

"No time!" the girl groaned, "Everyone already left, he have to run a mile in ten minutes if we're going to make it in time!"

Ranma nodded, lifting the girl up in her arms much to her sudden agitation. "Hey! Let me down! I can walk you know!'

"Yeah, yeah." the boy grunted, glancing around, "Which way to school?"

She idly pointed to the south, "Like, I said let me dooOOOOOOWN!" she screamed as the boy took off, the world becoming nothing more then a blur of lights.

[][][]

It had been a long walk, time spent deep in thought. She could have gotten a ride, Rogue knew, but she really just wanted to be alone for now. Given her earlier foot in mouth moment, and Logan's harsh, if completely true words, she really needed time to think about herself, her place on the team, and what she was going to do about Ranma.

Did she want to leave the team? Of course not. She liked being an X-men, liked Kitty and her cheerful attitude, Kurt and his playful nature, Evan and his rebellious stance, Scott's charismatic presence, heck she even liked Jean... when she wasn't being stuck up. They were her... family, a real family, not like the cold distance her Foster mother had with her... this was something special, something warm, something she hadn't ever really felt before in her short life.

Was she really so self-centered to risk giving that up, all because of a boy that irritated her? She really didn't need to think about the answer, it was no, she wasn't willing to give it up. She didn't think she'd ever get over it if she ran away like that.

She was glad she had made the choice, but that was by far the easiest thing on her mind. She still had to deal with Ranma, apologize for shooting her mouth off like a childish little girl, but how was she going to do that? He didn't seem very happy with her after she got done mouthing off. She sighed, hugging her book bag to her chest tightly. She'd just have to think of something, try to be nicer until she could catch him alone.

"Rogue!"

The Southern Belle blinked, looking up as a girl ran out of the school. She had short dark hair, purple eyes that match her purple highlights. "Risty?"

"Hey girl!" The England girl smiled, "I waited for you, wanted to see how my new friend was doing!"

'Waited for me? New friend?' Rogue blinked, smiling slowly, sincerely, "Ah ya didn't have ta wait for me."

"Bollocks!" The girl gushed, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "It's the least I could do, especially after all the help you gave a little no body like me yesterday."

"Ah... it's no problem, ah enjoyed helping ya out Risty." The Rogue started off hesitantly, not entirely sure how to deal with the girl. She liked her, she wouldn't deny it, she was the first friend she had made since... since before the X-men honestly.

"Come on, I still don't know my way..." Risty paused, looking around curiously, "Do you hear that?"

"Ah, hear what?" Rogue blinked, pausing to listen herself. She didn't hear anything at first, but... yeah, there was a low sound, almost like laughter? Where it was it coming from?

Risty blinked, a sudden swoosh of air blowing against her, followed by the sound of glorious laughter from behind her.

Rogue just stared.

Ranma chuckled, "I see you got into it, eh, Pryde?" he set the girl down, holding her shoulder to keep her steady.

Kitty laughed, half glaring at the boy, "Hehe.. hehehe... like, it started tickling! But it was sooooooo scary at first, but then you hugged me and..." she paused, suddenly blushing brightly, "Uh... never mind." she finished shyly, toeing the ground hesitantly. She glanced up and caught sight of the two girls staring at them, "Hey Rogue!" she chirruped.

Rogue waved dumbly, even as Ranma glanced in her direction still smiling, he turned back to Kitty. "Come on Pryde, you promised to show me around the school!"

"Like, call me Kitty." The valley girl, she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him inside, "I know just where to start the tour!"

"Hey! Kitty! I can walk you know!" The boy shot back playfully, ignoring the girl stick her tongue out childishly.

Risty watched the duo walk into school dumbly. "Wow..." she whispered in awe, glancing at the dumb struck Southern Belle, "Who was that guy?"

Rogue took a deep, shuddering breath. What should she say? She didn't think mentioning he was the new instructor would be a good thing, it would raise questions, questions like how the heck a kid like that could be teaching and still be in high school. "Ah, he's a new kid at the institute, showed up yesterday."

"Really." Risty breathed, throwing a grin at the girl, "He's dreamy, and you're living with him! Oh, tell me you know his name?"

Rogue restrained the urge to grimace, barely, "Ranma Saotome." She blinked when the girl froze in place, eyes slightly widening. "Risty, something wrong?"

"Ah... no... no I'm fine." She smiled pleasantly.

"If you say so." Rogue shrugged.

[][][]

Taryn Fujioka was an half America half Japanese immigrant. She was bright, happy, go lucky girl who praised the Kami every day that allowed her father to get a job overseas and rescue her from that crazy life in Nerima just a year ago. Every day in America was a day away from Bowl Cut obsessed Principals, a energy vampire English teacher who didn't particular care who got in her way, and most importantly it was a day away from the Fiancee brigade and the epic pissing matches that tended to send Furinkan into a pit of Chaos the likes of which hadn't been seen since the last time they ended up starting a school wide brawl.

She was in heaven, honestly. Here in America she didn't have to constantly look over her shoulder, devise escape plans, watch out for perverted gnomes looking for a grope, and didn't have to worry about losing her sanity and bathing the district in a deluge of blood when she lost it and decided to get stabbity. Here, she could have friends and not immediately question whether or not she could out run them. After all, when escaping a horde of ravaging girls it wasn't about how fast you ran, just that you could out run your 'friends'.

"Today's going to be a good day!" Taryn grinned. She believed it too, there was just a feeling of impending awesome she couldn't quite describe.

"Glad some one thinks so." Came the quick, tired voice of her best friend as she closed her locker with a sigh.

Taryn rolled her eyes, "Come on Jean! Buck up! Start the day with a smile, as they say!" Honestly the girl couldn't appreciate how... how wonderful it was to be here. The school was so bloody boring, and after living in Nerima just as the Fiancee Wars were getting started, she couldn't even imagine a better place to be.

The red head sighed, leaning against the lockers. "Sorry. Just had a bad night last night, is all."

Taryn blinked, "Scott turned you down?"

"What? What brought that on?" Jean eyed her best friend warily.

"Oh, so you didn't finally break down and ask that gorgeous hunk out?" Taryn sighed. It figured, it really did. Jean and Scott were so obviously interested in each other, but despite that they couldn't get past that first hurdle and just admit it to each other. Reminded her too much of another couple she had the nightmare of knowing, even if only vaguely, back in Japan.

"We're just... friends, nothing more." Tayrn couldn't help but notice the stress the girl had put on 'friends'.

Jean winced as the girl invaded her personal bubble, pressing her up against the lockers, "Okay, out with it, what's got you so upset?" Taryn ignored the cat calls from boys spying them, not even blushing as the other girl flushed pink. This was a trick she had learned, once upon a time while hiding in a closet, from the Middle Tendo girl. Oh how easy it was to get what you wanted when people were flustered and off balance.

"... It's nothing! I'll get over it." Jean sighed, "Some things were said, that's it."

"Right." The Nerima escapee drawled, "Is there some other girl in the equation? Or girls? Did you catch him digging through your underwear screaming 'Hotcha'?" the girl frowned thoughtfully, "Not a cross dresser is he?"

"Where do you get these silly ideas?" Jean just snorted. "Things are just strained now, it'll calm down on it's own."

Taryn sighed, stepping back much to the disappoint of boys everywhere, "If you say so."

"Like, this is B hall, and the stairs lead up to the Circuit. Like your third period Math class is up there, and, like, over here is the Cafeteria." Came the Jubilant chorus of words from Kitty as she rounded the corner, hand in hand with a guy who looked vaguely familiar for some reason Taryn couldn't quite place.

The boy glanced in their direction, and looked ready to move on before he froze in place, grey-blue eyes locking on Taryn's brown own curiously.

The Nerima escapee blinked. There was something there, a dangerous familiarity that roused the primal need to look over her shoulder and duck for cover. He was Asian, with dreamy eyes, raven black hair that was almost bushy, and wearing a white silk shirt with matching pants. She prodded that feeling of doom thoughtfully, hoping to tease remembrance but failing.

Kitty frowned, coming to a sudden stop as her current victim froze in place. "Like, something wrong?" she turned back and blinked, following his curious stare to Jean and Taryn.

Jean frowned at the boy, throwing curious glances at her best friend.

Suddenly his eyes widened, a grinning, "Taryn!"

"Do I know you?" The girl shot back cautiously. That fight or flee feeling in her gut practically exploding now that he actually spoke.

"It's me, Ranma!" He blinked as the girl suddenly moved faster then she had a right too. He chuckled, looking down at the girl hugging his legs, gasping fearfully.

"NO! I've violated By-stander protocol! I've talked to you out in the open, you have to save me!" The obviously delirious girl wailed, hugging the boys legs as she fearfully glanced around.

Kitty just stared with wide eyes.

"Uh... what's going on here?" Jean asked, dumb founded at the sight of her normally 'In your Face' best girlfriend weeping miserably, hugging Ranma's legs.

Ranma chuckled, patting the girl's head comfortingly, "Hey, it'll be alright." he cooed as if he was talking to a frightened little child, "The Arch-Enemies are in Japan." he peeled the girl off his legs, giving her a hug despite her nervous twitching, before letting her go.

"High Alert Protocol Violation..." Taryn mumbled fearfully, "You've hugged me, in public." she sighed tiredly, "I'm dead."

The red head could practically feel the sudden switch from overwhelming fear to subdued acceptance from her friend, and she didn't even have her powers on! "... I take it you two know each other?"

Ranma chuckled, glancing at Jean, "Yeah! Taryn wrote the F.S.G. back in Nerima, she saved countless girls from the cross fire with the Fiancee Brigade."

Jean and Kitty mouthed, 'Fiancee Brigade'

Taryn jumped as the bell began to ring, wide brown eyes shooting left and right fearfully.

"She's not here either, Taryn." The boy gave the girl a pat on the back, ignorant or ignoring the way she trembled from the touch. "We'll catch up later, Kitty here's giving me a tour."

The Shadow cat's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh my gosh! We're going to be late!" she grabbed Ranma's hand back, "Like, follow me!" she rushed out, dragging the unresisting Saotome male behind her, who waved good bye as they disappeared around the corner.

Jean blinked. Well that was certainly an... educational encounter. She glanced at her pale best friend curiously, "F.S.G.?"

"Furinkan Survival Guide." the shell shocked girl mumbled.

[][][]

Ranma wondered about Kitty, he really did. She was a cute girl, nice, and her cheer was contagious to the point of stupidity, but she was doing something only his fiancee's had done much to his chagrin. She was holding his hand, dragging him through halls and blabbering a mile a minute. The fact she has holding his hand didn't really bother him, it's not like she was a fiancee, and he doubted Genma had made it this far in his great 'Get Ranma Engaged to the WORLD' quest. What did bother him, however, were the stares they were getting. They were a mixed of curious wonder, envious disgust, or just plain annoyance. Especially from that guy in the brown trench coat, he was practically glaring solar hell daggers at them, or more to the point, him.

"Like, I'll swing by and pick you up after first period." The bubbly girl smiled brightly, letting his hand go as she took off in a rush down the hall.

The pig-tailed boy shrugged, heading into his first class; Biology. He didn't much like the course, he probably would have fallen asleep if he hadn't been flipping through the book and spotted a descriptive explanation on Resonance. It was an interesting subject, detailing how a string stretched out over a guitar would amplify and create a sympathetic vibration by disturbing air molecules. He wondered about that, Ki tended to pulse and react depending on how you 'plucked' at it, could he some how combine what he was reading with how he drew upon Ki? Instead of dragging it kicking and screaming out of his body, apply it to his fore fingers and spread them apart, creating a 'string' of Ki that he could pluck on to create vibrations? What would the end effect be, and how could he adapt it to combat? He'd need to think about this.

Ranma closed the book as Kitty rounded the corner, smiling cheerfully. "Like, hey Ranma! Ready for second period?"

He cracked a grin. Damn that girl's smile was just so damn contagious, and cute too if he was being honest with himself. Thank god she a friend, and not a fiancee. He didn't think he could beat a girl off him if she had this much pep, skill in the art or no. "Sure am."

[][][]

Evan wasn't angry anymore with their new instructor. In fact, if he had to describe the feeling, he was amused, very much so. The sight of Kitty, the chatter box, dragging the boy by his hand like a demented girlfriend showing her boyfriend the sights was just too hilarious for him.

He chuckled.

"... You better not be laughing at me." Kurt, beneath his image inducer, idly rubbed his forehead. He could feel the word shaved into his fur, even if no one else could see it currently. He had never been so embarrassed in his life as he had been that morning. He knew he was never going to live this down.

Spyke rolled his eyes, "Give me a break, it's not like I went out of my way to try and humiliate a guy who can kick my ass with out breaking a sweat." he poked the guy in the forehead, "What were you thinking? This guy's an instructor, were you trying to piss him off?"

Kurt sighed, "No... everyone was just so mad at each other last night because of this guy, I thought... y'know, help them laugh."

The Nubian kid sighed, staring at the illusion of the boy beneath it. Kurt always tried to get them to laugh, especially when they were down in the dumps. He shouldn't have been surprised he would try something, especially after last nights Charlie Foxtrot. "I get it." he chuckled, "It would have been funny too, if you managed to do it. Thanks man."

Kurt sighed, glancing across the hall to their new Instructor as he got dragged around a corner, at the same time spotting Rogue and her new friend, Risty, talking amiably across the hall. "I wonder... how much trouble do you think Rogue got in for yelling at him?"

"Eh..." Evan shrugged, glancing at the pair of girls slowly strolling up the hall. "Logan probably tore into her, you know how he can get." He frowned thoughtfully, "Though, really, I didn't even know exactly what you did, and even I knew it was your fault when he admitted to buzzing you like that."

Nightcrawler blinked, "Huh? How'd you figure that out?'

Evan looked at him with a half lidded glare, "Saran wrap on the toilet..."

"Eer, it was a joke!"

"The time you replaced the salt with sugar, JUST as my Aunt was reaching for it..."

"Well her meatloaf tasted better... kind of..."

"Or the time you dyed all of Scott's clothes pink..."

"I get it." Kurt pouted, "So I'm a prankster, it's not like everyone doesn't know it."

"Which brings me back to Rogue." Evan snorted, "Girl should have known better then to snap like that, but she did it anyway. I don't understand her at all, you figure she'd be nice to the only guy she knows she can touch."

Kurt frowned at that. Her reaction to their new instructor, well he had just assumed she was still mad about last night and needed a way to vent, but he hadn't considered the fact she could touch him. He glanced at the girl, smiling slightly at Risty. He'd have to apologize for getting her in trouble, but he made a mental note to keep an eye on her from now on.

[][][]

Ranma didn't much like his second period teacher, Ms. Thornstad. She reminded him way to much of a certain chi vampire, only with out the power to back up her bitchy attitude. She seemed overly critical, almost abusive in the way she looked at him when he admitted he didn't have a firm grasp on the English language. He could already tell that was going to be a class he was going to go out of his way to sleep thru from now on.

Kitty chirruped, dragging him up the stairs to his third period class. "Like, after this you have lunch! I'll meet you on the first floor, introduce you to some of my friends, kay?"

The pig-tailed boy grunted, "Hey Kitty."

The girl didn't even glance back at him, "Hmm?"

"Can I ask ya something?"

The girl paused, looking back curiously, eyes a little wide in apprehension or fear, he couldn't tell. "Uh.. like, sure?" she squeaked out.

Ranma raised an eyebrow at that. The girl was way too nervous all of a sudden. "Eh, just curious about that guy over there." he thumbed towards a duo of boys, one in a brown trench coat and the other with silvery hair pulled back to complete the wind-swept look. "Seen him in-between classes, does he always look pissed of, or am I missing something?"

Kitty frowned, sticking her tongue out at the guy childishly. The boy snorted, thrusting his hands in his pockets and taking off down the hall. "That jerk."

The gender-cursed boy blinked, "Uh..."

"He's a jerk, name is Lance." The California girl shrugged, "Part of the Brotherhood. He can be nice some times..." she flushed a little pink admitting that, "... but he's still a grade A jerk."

"Oh." Ranma shrugged, stepping into his class room, "See you for lunch."

"It's a date!" Kitty chirruped, turning down the hall and practically skipping. Ranma blinked. 'A date? Eh... whatever. She's not a fiancee, ain't crazy like the Kuno's, so she probably didn't mean it like that.' There, rationalization down, he felt the sudden nervous apprehension at the word 'Date' fade away.

[][][]

"You don't have to walk me to every class, Rogue." Risty sighed as began their trek up the stairs, "I mean, don't take it wrong, I appreciate all the help, but isn't your next class on the other side of the school? You'll be late!"

"Ah it ain't a big deal." Rogue shrugged. Truthfully she didn't care if she was late for her next class, Speech. The bane of her existence as far as she was concerned. Ms. Thornstad really irritated her with her dark looks and condescending attitude. So what if she talked different from other people? It felt right to her, so why did it matter? It's not like people had trouble understanding her.

Risty paused, digging out her cellphone as the ringtone 'Beautiful People' by Marilyn Manson began to play. She flipped the sleek device open, frowning at the text that scrolled across her screen. "Damn it, it is him." she mumbled more to herself.

Rogue looked over the girl's shoulder. She only caught a glimpse of a picture before her friend closed the message, but she doubted she could ever forget just who was in the picture. The recent source of her irritation, Ranma Saotome. "Huh?"

Risty shook her head, "It's nothing. My dad's a bit of a martial arts fanatic, he talks a lot about some fighters in Japan he saw on one of his business trips. I thought I recognized the name, just wanted to be sure." she shrugged, "Dad's going to throw a fit, I know it."

Rogue blinked, "He's famous?"

"Kinda." Risty sighed, "In certain circles, I guess. Mainly martial arts, but don't take my word as gospel, I don't follow that kind of stuff myself." she explained as they restarted their trek up the stairs, "Lot's of rumors go around about him specifically, some weird stuff."

"Ah..." The Southern Belle frowned, "... like what?"

"Crazy stuff." the other girl shrugged, "Like he can 'glow' or something, that he has an army of girls after his cute little butt, or..." she chuckled, "... that he can 'transform' into a girl when he gets wet. I tell ya, some people need to get their heads examined if they're going to believe that kind of rubbish. It's ridiculous."

"Oh." Rogue really couldn't think of anything to say to that. An army of girls? Turns into a girl? What the hell...

She bumped into someone as she cleared the top of the stairs, she tried to steady herself but the unexpected bump held way to much strength. Eyes wide, she began falling backwards down the stairs.

[][][]

Ranma couldn't resist bringing out his Biology book from stuff space. The idea that resonance could some how be adapted into a martial arts move wouldn't leave him. He didn't really care for math, the teacher Mr. Therrian just went on and on in a monotone voice about formula and the various applications, he was amazed he even stayed awake in that class.

Heading out the room once the bell rang, he ignored Lance leaning up against the wall beside the door, passing him with out even so much as a glance until the Avalanche put his hand on his shoulder, growling, "Wait a minute punk."

Ranma blinked, lowering his book, "Huh?"

"I don't know or care what your deal is with Kitty, but whatever it is, it stops now, understand?" Lance glared at him, clenching his fist to make a point.

...

Ranma just laughed, "Oh this is rich!" he ignored the stunned look on Lance's face, turning around with a snort. "Go away little boy, before you get hurt."

Ranma tilted to the side as a fist flew by, ducking when the boy growled and swung wide, then hopping up and over the boy when he lunged forward to tackle him, crashing to the ground when he missed. Sighing, the pig-tailed boy pressed down on his back with one foot. He didn't bother looking up from his book as the kid struggled to get up. "You're out of your league here, idiot. Just stop before this get's out of hand." He stepped over him, continuing on his way. When the boy didn't attack him again, he let out a tired sigh. Well at least he wouldn't have to beat down on him.

Rounding the corner to the stairs, he was too distracted by his reading to notice a duo of girls coming up. He bumped into one as she reached the top, unintentionally applying his strength to keep himself from falling back, but that same strength proved too much for the girl to push through. He looked up in time to see a pair of green eyes widen in shock as the owner of those eyes teetered back and began falling down the stairs.

Instinctively he reached out to grab her, managing to get a hold on her purple scarf that slipped off with out slowing her downward fall an iota. Ranma cursed, dropping his book as he lunged forward, grabbing the falling girl before twisting in midair just in time as he slammed down. Cradling the girl protectively as they began rolling down the stairs, he timed their turns so they were in air long enough to complete the arc so she didn't actually come into contact with the pointed, unforgiving steps. They continued to fall, twirling as gravity increased the speed slightly, until finally he slammed into the cold tiled floors at the bottom of the stairs, sliding across the sleek surface and banging his head against the pliable metal of the lockers lining the hall.

"Ow..." Ranma sighed tiredly. The girl in his grip shuddered violently, not that he could blame her. Falling down the stairs hadn't been fun for him either, and he had been the one to actually absorb the multiple impacts. The girl put her hands on either side, pushing up and staring at him with wide eyes.

"Rogue?"

[][][]

Kitty sighed, staring up the stairs tiredly. Where was he? He should have been here by now! He better not be trying to skip out on their 'date'. She blushed as she thought about that, going out on a 'date', even if it really was just having lunch together, with her new instructor? Ooooh it was so scandalous, so exciting! That he was very easy on the eyes was a bonus, and the way he acted some times was just too cute. She didn't need to be told she was developing a small crush on the boy, she was very well aware of it.

"Well lookie here, the Kitty cat of the X-geeks." Pietro whispered from behind, causing the girl to shiver.

'Oh great.' The Valley girl sighed, glancing back, "Like, get lost creep."

"Ah, don't be like that. I'm doing you a favor, being here, y'know." He wrapped his arm over the girls shoulders, "Yep, good ole Pietro, here to pick up the pieces when Lance gets done making you cry."

Kitty grimaced, pushing his arm away, "Like, don't touch me. And how is Lance going to 'make me cry'?"

Quicksilver chuckled, "How else? He's going to teach your boy toy a lesson."

Kitty blinked, descending into a look of horror, "No! He doesn't stand a chance against him!"

"Should have thought about that before strutting him around the place like a prized cow." Pietro snorted. "Holding hands, gah, Lance was pissed seeing that."

"I DON'T mean Ranma, Lance is the one who's going to get hurt!" She turned to the stairs, but Pietro grabbed her arm and yanked her back just as Ranma came tumbling down the stairs in a tight roll, slamming into the ground and sliding across it's surface, hitting his head and leaving a dent in the lockers opposite the stairs. A single, solitary book came skidding down the stairs, hitting the ground with a dull thump.

"RANMA!" Kitty phased through Pietro's grip, running over downed boy with the girl on top of him.

[][][]

'So this is what it's like ta see yer life flash before yer eyes.' Rogue felt a bit detached as she began falling. That overwhelming fear of death was still there, causing her heart the pump rapidly, but in a strange melancoly way she couldn't bring herself to truly care.

That was when she felt it, a pair of arms wrapped around her neck and waist, pulling her against a warm body as the world began to twist. She scrunched her eyes shut, pressing her head against the boys neck and shoulder, feeling sudden jerks as they slammed into the stairs before bouncing up in another twirl in their downward descent. Faster then she could think the world spun, coming to an abrupt end with one final slam on the ground. Rogue took in deep breaths, tasting her saviors scent, a mix of spices and peaches. Dimly she began to realize whoever her hero was, she could feel the warmth of his flesh pressed against her cheek. A gripping dread clamped around her heart at the thought of draining him, whoever he was. Yet nothing came..

Hesitantly, she pulled away from the warmth of the embrace she unwittingly found herself in, staring with wide green eyes into a curious grey-blue. For her, the world seemed to become unhinged, drifting endlessly with no focus as she stared into the clear depths of his eyes. Enraptured she almost didn't hear her name being called, but it served it's purpose, breaking the illusion.

"ROGUE!" Risty shouted, rapidly coming down the stairs. She dropped to her knees and slid the rest of the way, touching the girls shoulder curiously. She paused, only for a fraction of a second, as she saw the boy's hand slide off the back of the girl's exposed neck. "Uh... are you okay?"

Rogue nodded, not trusting her own voice as she got up to her feet. Ranma kicked up and cracked his neck, sighing tiredly. He glanced at the shocked Rogue and guarded Risty, grunting, "Sorry about that."

Kitty sighed in relief, "Like, are you two alright?"

"Yeah." The pig-tailed boy nodded, "Here, your scarf."

Rogue startled, practically snatching the article of clothing, wrapping it around her exposed neck.

Lance came walking down the stairs, half frowning, half glaring. Kitty whipped around, pointing one finger angrily, "You! Like, how could you! Some one could have been hurt!"

Avalanche blinked, "Wait, you're blaming me for this?"

"Trying to 'make me cry' again, weren't you!" The Cheerful girl glared at the boy darkly.

Ranma picked up his book, "Chill Kitty, it was my fault, not his." He grabbed the girls hand when she looked ready to continue despite what he said, "Come on, you promised me a lunch 'date'." He ignored the looks he was getting from them all, from Rogue's thoughtful look, Risty's frown, Lance's pointed glare, and Pietro's dangerous stare.

[][][]

He had never been so embarrassed in his life... No, scratch that. He's been transformed back into a guy in public while wearing a filly dress, in comparison this was tame, but he still felt like a total idiot for what he had done. Honestly, a Martial Artist of his caliber bumping into some one and sending them rolling down the stairs? Pops would laugh his ass off if he could see him now, or call him an idiot, but the two tended to go hand in hand.

"Like, are you sure you're okay?" Kitty asked worriedly. Honestly he thought her concern was sweet, if a bit annoying.

Ranma grunted, "Yeah, I'm fine. It'll take more then a little fall down the stairs to hurt me." He waved her off. "Gotta get to Gym, I'll see you after class."

Kitty pouted. Lunch had been fine, he guessed. Her friends were about as girly as he imagined they could be, and they all seem to exude pep like Kitty did, even if not to her near overpowering way. They also stared at the two of them accusingly in a way he did not particularly enjoy, almost as if they were insinuating something he couldn't quite grasp.

Eh... whatever. He shrugged that thought off, ducking into the locker room to change.

[][][]

Todd Tolansky gripped the pathetic stall door closed tightly, sweating nervously at the dark chuckling coming from the other side. Ah good ole Toad, another day another series of brutes out to beat your hide. Truthfully the majority of the bullying had gone down since Fred had showed up, developing a sort of Big brother relationship with him, but he couldn't be there every second of the day.

"You trying to hide?" the voice of one of his tormentors reached his ears, sinister and mocking at the same time. "Just making this harder on yourself, Tolansky."

"Yo yo, can't we all just, y'know, get along?" Toad grumbled tiredly, holding the door close even as it lurched forward some, "Please?"

"Just give it up you little worm." Duncan, that holier then thou bastard from the Football team, snorted. With a combined push they overwhelmed the Toad's meager strength, forcing the door open. Toad backed up, chuckling nervously, "Like, parley?"

They didn't laugh. Well it hadn't been that funny anyway. They dragged him out of the stall, throwing him bodily against the lockers. Duncan, the blond haired quarterback clenched one fist, reared back and slammed the Toad across the face hard enough to draw blood.

Toad winced as Duncan grabbed him by his shirt, pushing up against the lockers before decking him again. "You aren't so tough with the big fatty here to back you up, are ya you little shit?" He reared back to punch to whimpering boy again, pausing as the door pushed open, an Asian boy walking in before pausing as he caught sight of them.

"Just turn around and walk away, gook." Duncan sneered.

The boy blinked, eying the battered Toad curiously before glancing back at the hot headed Duncan, "How about ya drop the little guy, and come pick on some one more yer size instead."

One of the football players laughed, "HAH! You're volunteering? Man, this has to be one for the record books."

Duncan dropped Toad, the little guy scampering away and cursing whatever God would listen. He knew once Duncan and his crew got done with the new guy, they were going to turn their attention back to him. The blond quarterback chuckled, lunging forward in a sloppy haymaker as his two buddies rushed in on either sides.

The Asian boy grabbed the punch, twisted to the side and pulled, throwing Duncan off balance as he ran head first into the unforgiving door. Letting go he ducked under a punch from one of the other football players, kicking sideways into his chest that sent the boy tumbling across the tiled floor like a rag doll, then falling to the ground in a sweep that dropped the other football player on his ass. He reached down and grabbed the tripped up football player by his shirt, lifting him up and throwing him bodily against the lockers.

Toad's eyes widened in surprise as the Asian boy systematically dropped his tormentors on their ass. Duncan tried to stand back up only to have the Asian boy put one foot on his back casually, sneering, "Y'know what I hate most?"

"Get off me you rat bastard! I'll kill you for this!" Duncan snarled.

"Yeah, how bout no?" Toad's Savior rolled his eyes, idly back handing one of the Football players that had recovered, sending him tumbling back to the ground. He reached down and grabbed Duncan by his shirt, picking him up and pushing him against the wall, "Bullies like you piss me off, but you deserve fair warning. If I ever see, or hear you beating on some one in this school again, I'll be the first one to track you down and beat the fear of the Kami's into you. Get me?"

Duncan grunted, nodding. The Asian boy dropped him, snorting as the boy glared back before rushing out the door, his two friends limping behind him.

"Idiots." Toad eyed his Savior cautiously as he turned and glanced in his direction. He felt fear course through his veins at the thought of what this guy would do next.

The boy blinked, "Huh..." suddenly staring with such an intensity Toad couldn't help but wince. He felt a surge of surprise rock through him as the boys eyes began to glow blue as he stared.

"Another mutant?" The Asian boy blinked, striding over to the boy huddled in the corner, staring intently.

Toad cringed at the accusation, even more so as his savior examined him intently, "Yo, yo, peace man! I ain't got beef with you!"

"Mah, I'm not going to hurt you." the boy snorted, the glow in his eyes fading "Names Ranma, you?"

"Todd..."

[][][]

Rogue was confused. Greatly so. The event had left her more then a little off kilter. She supposed she should have been furious, especially when he admitted it being his fault, but she just couldn't do it. There was a moment there, where her world became unhinged and all that mattered was the boy who had rescued her. It was a feeling she had never experienced before, and if she was being honest with herself she'd rather never feel something like that again. It left her vulnerable and questioning things she was perfectly content just ignoring.

"You haven't felt any pain, have you?" Risty poked her side gently, "No time to be tough! If you feel even the slightest bit of pain, you're going to the nurses office!"

"Ah'm fine." The Southern Belle frowned, "Ah don't even remember touchin the stairs when I fell."

"Huh..." The Wilde child frowned, "That's weird. I mean, one of you should have gotten hurt. You don't just fall down the stairs and walk away as if nothing happened."

Rogue sighed. Damn it, she was right. Something like that wasn't normal, she could already imagine the Professor and Logan throwing a fit. "Ah dunno. Ah just don't know."

"Rogue?"

Risty and Rogue both startled, turning round to meet the owner of that voice.

"Scott?"

"Hey." The leader of the X-men waved, "Heard about the stairs, just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt."

Rogue grimaced, "Ya heard ahbout that?"

"The whole school practically heard about it." Scott continued seriously. "Not everyday some one falls down the stairs, after all."

"Ah..." Rogue winced. She didn't need to be psychic to see what Scott was getting at, "... sorry."

"Don't apologize for that!" Risty snapped, "You're lucky you got out of that with out a scratch! I bet that Ranma guy was just acting tough, he's probably already at the nurses office."

Scott frowned., "Huh? Ranma was involved in that?"

"Ya didn't know?" Rogue blinked.

"No." Cyclops shrugged, "Just that you and some new kid went for a tumble down the stairs. I guess I should have known." he glanced down the hall, "Alright. So long as you're fine I'll get out of your hair."

"Ah... ya could have lunch with us, y'know, if you want too." The Southern Belle had to fight to keep a light blush off her cheeks at that.

Scott waved the notion down with out turning around, "Thanks, but I have to find Jean. She's been... upset since yesterday."

"I can't guess why." The Rogue snapped, darkly, turning and walking away before Scott could see how upset she was becoming. Damn Jean, damn Scott, damn it all.

[][][]

"No, turn your foot a half inch outward." Ranma took up a stance, "Like this. It'll help keep ya balanced."

Todd didn't know how he had gotten himself into this, but he had to admit the attention was kind of cool. He and this Ranma had spent the entire period in the locker room, skipping Gym and just shooting the shit. It was... cool, Toad guessed. Just to hang around with some one you barely knew and have a little fun. After class had ended, he endured the dirty look from their teacher nervously, even though his new friend didn't even so much as bat an eye.

"Alright, now I want you to slowly punch the locker. Not hard or anything, just go through the motions."

Todd nodded. With exaggerating slowness he punched the locker, keeping as much of his body in the stance as he could.

Ranma sighed, "No no. Punching isn't just the arm, you want to use your entire body in the swing. Shoulder, hip, back, legs, everything." he grunted, "Try again."

"Uh... Ranma?" Kitty slowly came up on the duo, "What's going on?"

"Sec Kitty." Ranma didn't even turn around, focused on Toad as the boy reared back and practically lunged at the locker. His fist crashed against the pliable metal, leaving a generous sized dent.

Todd winced, rubbing his hand protectively, "Yo man, that hurt."

"That was you holding back?" Ranma asked, admiring the fist shape impression in the locker curiously. "I'd hate to see what you'd do if you were serious there."

Kitty boggled. Toad had managed to almost cave in a locker from one punch? "Huh, whu, how? Like, it's Toad!"

"I'm right here ya know." The Toad grumbled.

"Nice job Todd." Ranma grinned, patting the little guy on the back, "Next time those jerks try to start something with ya, use what I taught ya and give them a rude surprise."

Todd grinned. The thought of creaming Duncan and his goons was certainly a nice thought, "Will do! Thanks Ranma!" he cackled, running down the hall. He couldn't wait till he told the guys about this!

Kitty still couldn't get over the fact Toad of all people had managed to punch a significant dent into the lockers. He was arguably the weakest of the Brotherhood, but if he was capable of something like that... She shivered, she didn't want to see what his full strength hit from him would be like.

She blinked then, as Ranma pulled her in close. She blushed, looking up at his concerned gaze, "Uh..."

"You sick or something?" the boy frowned, "You were shivering back there, but you don't feel cold."

"No no... it's nothing." the Shadow cat chuckled nervously, "Like... let's get you to your next class."

[][][]

Jean glanced up and down the hall tiredly. Seeing no one, she knocked on the locker twice. "It's clear Taryn."

"You sure? You don't see a kitten anywhere? Or a little black piglet with a bandana? Or a wrinkly old monkey on a pogo stick?" the terrified voice echoed from the closed Locker.

'Where does she get these crazy ideas?' Jean couldn't understand it. She could feel the genuine fear radiating off the girl, but it just didn't make any sense to her. A kitten? Piglet? What kind of crack was her best friend smoking? "No Taryn, I don't see anything of the sort. Now will you please come out of the locker?"

"If you're absolutely certain..." The locker began to open...

"Jean?"

The red head startled, slamming the locker closed, ignoring the indignant cry from the girl inside, "Scott! Hehe... what a... pleasant surprise."

Cyclops stared curiously, "You okay? You look nervous."

"I'm fine." Jean sighed, banging the locker with her elbow warningly, "What's up?"

"Well..." Scott sighed, "Just wanted to talk to you, about yesterday."

Jean suddenly remembered she was suppose to be upset at the boy. She shrugged indifferently, responding coldly, "Nothing to talk about, as far as I'm concerned."

"That's not fair." Cyclops growled, "You can't seriously be mad at me for siding with the others, especially after finding out exactly what we were facing."

"Now isn't the time or place to talk about this." The redhead warned dangerously, "Good bye Scott." she finished curtly.

Scott frowned, fists clenched tightly, "Fine." he turned and stalked down the hall angrily.

Jean watched him go tiredly. Well that could have gone better, she almost wished she could take back her words, but it really wasn't the time or the place to talk about this. She opened the locker, half glaring at the girl scrunched up inside fearfully, "Now, are you going to get out of there or am I going to have to drag you out kicking and screaming?"

[][][]

Fred idly pushed the hunk of meat curiously, the almost pure fat hunk of crap jiggling with the action. Damn it, another day, another meat loaf from the school's craptastic idea of a cafeteria. He considered actually shoving it down his throat, but even as hungry as he was, he wasn't that hungry. Pushing his plate away, he glanced at his table mates, blinking at Toad's excited yammering.

"Yo yo, he kung-fu chopped dem fools." Toad grinned, rubbing his hands together in a real bad impersonation of Mr. Burns, "Even taught me a trick for next time they try their crap."

"Uh huh." Pietro rolled his eyes, "Don't care about your new boyfriend." he chuckled, "Kitty's new boyfriend on the other hand..."

Lance grunted, glaring angrily at a certain couple walking hand and hand past the cafeteria.

Fred blinked, eying the Shadowcat and her boy-toy. "Is... he wearing pajama's?"

Toad glanced over, chuckling nervously, "Yo, man that's the guy! Beat off Duncan and his goons!"

"Really." The Avalance frowned. Fred glanced at the guy curiously. If he knew the guy, and he liked to think he did, he'd be asking any second too... "... leave him alone."

Fred, Toad, and Pietro blink blinked at that. "Huh?" That hadn't been something any of them had been expecting. Beat him up, oh sure, but do nothing while he paraded around with Kitty?

"Leave him alone." Lance grimaced, like he had a bad taste in his mouth he couldn't quite get rid of. "I don't want to make her cry like someone here told her I did." he glared at the Quicksilver with a half-lidded glare, "Get me?"

"Whatever Romeo." Quicksilver snorted, "See what I get for trying to help a friend? No gratitude."

"I can deal with out your version of gratitude, dick head." Lance snarled, standing up. He glanced one last time as Kitty and Ranma past out of sight, turning with a snort and walking away.

Toad just frowned, glancing at Fred curiously.

[][][]

Ranma let out a tired sigh as the final bell of the day rang. Honestly, while today hadn't been too bad, it was still tiring. Between the stairs, finding that mutant in the locker room, and how... friendly Kitty had been after he checked to make sure she wasn't catching something, he couldn't help but feel there was something very wrong going on behind the scenes. There was just this palpable sense of wrongness, like he was participating in something that would blow up in his face and would unleash untold horrors in it's wake.

'Whatever.' He shrugged that uncomfortable thought off. It's not like he was doing anything to piss off his fiancee's right?

"Yo yo, Ranma!" Todd grinned, walking up to the pig-tailed martial artist with a rather... hulking brute behind him. Ranma eyed the big guy curiously. Obesity aside, he looked tough, and some one you just didn't want to mess with.

"Sup Todd." He grunted, glancing down the hall in search of his peppy tour guide. "Who's your friend?'

"Freddy." The lumbering behemoth grunted in return, "Toad here told me how you helped him out earlier."

Todd chuckled nervously when Ranma glanced at him.

"Eh, he didn't need my help at all." the boy shrugged, "He just doesn't fight back. He'd probably have been able to take them all by himself, just needs to develop a spine."

"Man, stop lying." The Toad grimaced, "I mean, thankful an all for yer help, but I know I'm weak, don't need to lie to make me feel better."

Blob grimaced, glaring at the little guy.

Ranma sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay, screw this." he grabbed Toad by his shirt, dragging him down the halls.

"Yo! Let me go! No need to manhandle the Toad, y'know!" Toad struggled in vain.

Fred frowned, "Let him go."

Ranma glanced around, looking for his target of choice. There, next to that girl from the Institute, Jean. He picked up the Toad and threw him at the blond haired quarterback.

[][][]

'Thank god this day is over.' Risty sighed, maneuvering down the crowded halls filled with children happily chatting. It had been a rather surprising, shocking day for her, especially with the revelation Ranma Saotome had just entered the playing field. That was going to be a huge crink in her plans, it just rankled her to know Xavier got his grubby paws on him before she did. Just how he had managed it was a question she would have to investigate, but she didn't doubt for a second the old geezer hadn't tricked him with delusions of peace.

"So... ah, wanna come check out the Institute today?" Rogue offered hesitantly.

Risty smiled. The girl was just so desperate for a friend, it was rather pathetic, and heart warming at the same time. At least on this front things were going well, "I'd love too."

"Cool." The Southern Belle tried to play it off as unimportant, but Risty knew better.

"INCOMING!" Toad screamed, flying just above the crowd, slamming into Duncan and knocking the quarterback into the lockers with a resounding bang. There was a moment of silence as time seemed to freeze, and then all hell broke loose.

[][][]

Taryn couldn't help but feel paranoid all day long. She hadn't seen Ranma since earlier in the day, which was a good thing. Anywhere he was disaster was sure to follow, but she knew from a long time suffering that just because he wasn't around, didn't mean the shit wouldn't hit the fan. In fact it was a foregone conclusion something would go down in his absence.

"You're so jittery!" Jean shook her head tiredly, "Honestly Taryn, nothing bad is going to happen. You need to calm down."

"So says the girl who's never had to fight for her life!" Taryn snorted, ignoring the red head rolling her eyes at that, "I'm telling you, Jean, where ever He walks, disaster follows!"

"Uh huh."

"Oh sure, be flippant now." The Nerima escapee snorted, "But mark my words, you're going to wake up one day and realize your enemies are your friends, cats are evil, evil creatures, and even the weakest of losers are suddenly super powered bad asses out to make your life hell!"

"Uh huh." Jean opened her locker, shoving her books inside. "What's the color of the sky in your world, again?"

"Blue, last I checked." Duncan grinned as the two girls startled. "Hey babe." he leaned in to give the red head a kiss, frowning when she pushed him back. "Aw come on Jean, it's just a kiss."

"You know how I don't like public displays of affection, Duncan." The girl sighed, "Besides, shouldn't you be suiting up? Coach Klien is going to be upset with you."

"Eh..." The blond jock shrugged, "... He'll get over it. Besides, nothing wrong with spending a little time with my girl, right?"

"INCOMING!" Jean heard the scream before she could react, looking up just in time to see Toad flying, waving his arms manically in his uncontrolled flight. Taryn, faster then Jean had ever seen the girl react, grabbed her and pulled her out of harms way. Duncan on the other hand...

Duncan winced as the Toad collided, slamming him face first into the lockers. Dizzy, and not a little angry, he turned around and glared at the pipsqueak who, after hitting him, rolled back waving his hands wildly, "Like, it wasn't my fault!"

There was an eerie silence in the hall for a split second, that ended with a jubilant cry of "FIGHT!"

The crowd parted, forming a semi-circle around Toad and Duncan, kids hollering, shouting in a chorus of voices that made it all unrecognizable.

Duncan snarled, "Wrong move punk."

"Duncan! Stop this!" Jean reached out to grab him, only to have Taryn pull her back roughly.

"Stay out of this Jean, this little shit needs to be taught a lesson." The blond quarterback snarled.

[][][]

"Stay out of it." Ranma glanced at the lumbering Blob, "He'll be fine."

Fred ignored him, pushing past the crowd, ready to stop this fight before Toad got hurt. He didn't make it, suddenly feeling an ungodly amount of pain as Ranma grabbed him by his wrist and squeezed. "Wha... wha." he tried to push free of the hold, but for all his strength, couldn't even make the Asian boy relinquish his hold.

"I said, stay out of it." The pig-tailed boy glared, turning his attention back to Toad as Duncan started running towards him. "Toad, stance now!"

Toad eeped, following into the stance Ranma had showed him. He shook nervously, sweat glistening off his brow as his teeth chattered.

"Wait for it."

Seven feet...

Three feet...

"NOW!"

In slow motion, Duncan barreled down on the little guy, fist pulled back in preparation for a wicked hay maker. Nervously Toad closed his eyes, lunging forward in a leap, arm extending and connecting unerring with the jocks chest.

Duncan literally flew back from the strike, slamming into the lockers with a resounding clang, sliding to the ground gasping desperately for breath.

Toad stared at the downed football player, glancing at his first in wide eyed wonder. He had done that? In one punch?

Ranma grinned, releasing Fred and stepping through the silent, stunned crowd. "Hell yes! I told ya you could do it Todd!" he gave the little guy a pat on the back. "Just needed some confidence, y'know."

Todd nodded dumbly, glancing at the pig-tailed boy thoughtfully. "... What now?"

"Now?" Ranma grinned, glancing around at the stunned looks of the gathered students, "Saotome Secret Technique: Run like hell!" he picked up the Toad in a fireman carry, leaping up and over the crowd as a contingent of Security guards managed to push their way through the crowd.

[][][]

Jean couldn't make sense of it. Toad, one of the weakest, lamest member of the Brotherhood had just one shotted her boyfriend like it was nothing, and her instructor Ranma apparently had a hand in it. Just why he was helping a member of the Brotherhood she had no idea, especially the weakest of the weak...

Taryn chuckled weakly as the Security guards broke up the stunned crowd, glancing at the redheads dumb founded look. "See? I told you so."

[][][]

TBC

AN: Yeah, heh. Felt like a good stopping point. Anyway, hope you guys like it. Not action packed, but you can't expect fighting of any kind with out some kind of build up, the fights are rarely as important as the build up.

A note about this Aura Reading thing; It's an idea I shamelessly ripped off the TFF, by CatOnFire. He's a good guy, and doesn't care if I use it, but I figured he deserved the credit regardless. I'd also like to thank all the people who helped flesh out the idea on the TFF forums, of who there are too many to list.

The idea basically is "Mutations are run through Ki, when an X-gene activates it massively alters the persons body and aura, allowing them to use this power." This will help Ranma with his own Ki control, but primarily it's meant to help him help others with their mutations. No, you won't see Rogue being able to control her power enough to touch people, nor will Scott ever be able to take off his shades, but you will see some control in both of them if and when I get to that part of the fic.

And no, Ranma won't be learning any other mutant powers, it's just a fresh idea in his mind, hasn't really had time to explore it.

A note about how Ranma calls people. You'll notice he's used their last names, like Pryde, Wagner, ect. Well he's quite aware these kids probably hate his guts, so he decided not to presume they'd care for him to call them by their first names at all. Not that he cares, much anyway, but respect is a two way street in his eyes and he figures that if he at least makes an attempt at respecting the kids, they won't make his life hell.

Special thanks to everyone at the TFF, CatonFire, and Foesjoe.


	4. Chapter 4

Void

Written By: Matdeception

Rough Draft Begun: 7/9/11

Rough Draft Finished: 7/16/11

Editing and Revision Begun: 7/17/11

Editing and Revision Complete: 7/17/11

Disclaimer: I've determined I won't write anything here, as it's a waste of time since I make nothing off this work.

Credits: Editor: Foesjoe; Ki Idea Man: CatOnFire; Weird Taste in Music: Linkin Park, Katy Perry, some Japanese band I can't say the name for, Seether, some Canadian band I can't remember the name too either.

* * *

The boy had found an ally, the very thought it had believed preposterous. Yet he had, limiting it's ability to cast his life into the wretched existence he deserved. This could not be allowed to continue, this new ally would have to be brought to heel and dealt with. Pressure, it always came down to pressure, and this new found ally of his would require tremendous pressure.

It would have it's revenge on the boy for this travesty, would not allow him to think such rebellion would go unanswered.

Yes, his ally will break, and through them it will break him. No one escapes the Magic of Jusendo.

No one.

[][][][][][][][][]

Chapter 4: Lemonade

[][][][][][][][][]

"The synthesis compound is coming along nicely." Hank smiled cheerfully, stirred his tea before taking a sip. "I'm quite hopeful for this formula, it should allow for a slow regression of my hyper-active X-gene."

Ororo nodded, stirring a large pitcher of lemonade. "You have certainly put forth a great deal of effort on this."

The blue ape nodded. "Indeed."

"I hope it works for you, Hank, but let's not forget the saying," Xavier advised cautiously, "'It's better not to have any hope, that way anything short of death is a pleasant surprise'."

"Of course." Hank nodded. "To expect full regression would be foolhardy at best. I'm not expecting regression to occur for many years, even if this concoction works exactly as I hope it will. If it doesn't, well..." he tapered off, shrugging. "I have nothing if not time."

Xavier nodded. "As long as you're prepared for set backs."

"You son of a bitch!" Ororo snarled suddenly, slamming down her cup of lemonade. "Not enough damn sugar!"

The two man boggled at the normally cool as a cucumber woman snapping vehemently. "Is... something wrong?" Xavier tentatively asked.

Ororo frowned. "No, of course not." she said, pouring the lemonade back into the pitcher and adding more sugar. "I'm just slightly aggravated I can't get the right amount of sugar."

Xavier sighed. Why was it always the little things that caused the most aggravation? Not just in Ororo, but even himself. He couldn't even count how many times he nearly threw a fit when trying to solve the crossword puzzles in the morning paper.

"Hey." Scott waved as he came into the kitchen. The others waved as he grabbed a clean glass cup and stepped up to the Nubian woman. "Is it ready?"

Ororo sighed, pouring him a glass and asking, "How was school?"

"Tense." The X-Men leader sighed. "Rogue and Ranma took a tumble down the stairs today."

"I do hope no one was hurt," Hank put in, finishing his tea.

"No, and that's the problem," Scott grunted, taking a sip of his drink. He frowned then. "Hmm... needs more sugar."

Xavier sweated as Ororo's eyes clouded over. "Uh... how was it a problem, exactly?"

"Well, people don't fall down stairs and walk away with out a scratch," Scott pointed out, adding some sugar and remaining utterly oblivious to the glare Ororo was giving him. "I know Rogue wasn't hurt, and Ranma seems tough enough to shrug something like that off, but others might get curious how no one was even bruised."

"A justifiable concern." Hank hmmed, "Anything else?"

Scott slumped slightly. "Well, Jean's still upset, and I think Rogue is too. The others don't seem that mad." Then he chuckled softly. "And there's already a rumor going that Kitty and Ranma are dating."

"Really." Xavier frowned. "I suppose I'll need to have a talk with Ranma about that?"

Scott shrugged. "I guess. It's just a rumor though. For all we know, Kitty's just being really friendly."

Ororo, eyes no longer clouded in rage, nodded slightly. "It may be my fault, I did ask Kitty to help get Ranma situated," she said as she absently added more sugar to the pitcher of lemonade.

Hank grinned slightly. "Seems innocent enough." He looked at the clock on the stove. "Ah, I should get back to my lab," he said and walked out the back door.

Scott finished off his glass and was about to leave himself when then door opened from the dining room.

"Ah right, this is the kitchen," Rogue said as she walked in with Risty in tow.

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Hello, Rogue..."

"Ah, hi, Professor." The Southern Belle waved timidly. "Don't mind us, just showin' Risty around."

"You've got one heck of a place, sir," Risty said with evident awe, glancing around at everything and nothing.

Ororo smiled benignly, pouring two glasses of lemonade as Risty made her introduction. "Lemonade?"

"Yes please," Risty said with a smile

"Sure." Rogue shrugged, taking the glass.

As the two girls sipped their lemonade, their faces scrunched up as if tasting something extremely sour. In tandem they said, "Whoa! Too much sugar!"

"I give up!" Ororo snapped, slamming the pitcher into the sink and storming off.

Scott, Rogue, and Risty stared in stunned surprise.

Xavier just sighed. Must be that time of the... decade, he guessed. "Excuse Ororo, she's having a bad day." He smiled disarmingly at the incredulous looks from Rogue and Scott both. "It's nice to meet you, Risty. I'm happy Rogue has a friend in you."

"Aw... thanks." The British goth slightly blushed, not used to being the center of attention.

Logan walked in with a frown, pausing at the sight of Risty. "Oi, who's the brat?"

"Brat?" Risty blinked, "Hey! I'm not a brat!"

"Who you kiddin'?" The feral man raised an eyebrow at the petulant look.

"Oooh!" Risty swung around to Rogue. "You tell him, Rogue! Tell him I'm not a brat!"

Rogue blanched. "Uh... um..."

Logan ignored them both, walking up to the counter and stabbing an apple with one of his claws before turning around and walking out.

Scott coughed. "So, uh, Risty... How are you... uh, doing?" he asked lamely, relief flooding him when Logan left the kitchen. He could only thank his lucky stars Risty hadn't noticed him spearing the apple.

"Eh?" The girl blinked, shrugging. "Fine, before that geezer... HEY!" She swung around, only now noticing Logan had left. "Where did he go! No one calls me a brat and gets away with it!"

Xavier coughed, grabbing Risty's attention. "Don't mind Logan, young lady. He's just a stick in the mud." He glanced at Rogue pointedly. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your afternoon lessons? You wouldn't want to be late. Ranma doesn't seem the type to appreciate tardiness."

Rogue grimaced. "Ah... damn it."

Risty blinked. "Wait, Ranma's a teacher?" She frowned. "How? He's still in high school!"

"He is." Xavier nodded. "He's also a certified master of several martial arts styles and disciplines. He has a teaching license for this purpose."

"Ah..." Risty looked confused. "... Okay."

"Now, say goodbye to your friend and prepare for your afternoon lesson," Xavier said, tone cordial.

"Ah right. Come on, Risty," Rogue grumbled, leading the other girl out.

[][][][][][]

He glanced up and down the street thoughtfully. "Okay... so which way?"

Ranma sighed, randomly picking a direction and heading off. Escaping from the High-school with Toad had been easy enough. The little guy had been grateful, but hadn't stuck around, running off to who knows where. And now, well, now he was just trying to find his way back to the institute, or the high school, or really any place he had been to before. He made a mental note to actually memorize a map of this damn town first chance he got. Here he was, martial arts bad-ass, all around awesome ass-kicker, and he couldn't even find the place he was staying at! Gah! At this rate he was going to be late, and if he was late he wasn't going to get paid, and if he wasn't going to get paid Nabiki would flay him alive, or worse... she'd tell his mother.

"Oi!" came a shout. Ranma glanced right, eying the familiar dirt brown jeep and its driver, the trench coat wearing punk who had tried to scare him off from Kitty.

"Eh..." Ranma just sighed. "What?"

Lance got out of the jeep, eyes never leaving Ranma's own. He stepped up to him and stared for a moment. "Just... wanted to say sorry for that... yeah, y'know."

The gender-cursed martial artist raised an eyebrow at that. Some one apologizing, to him no less! Would wonders never cease? "Eh..." He frowned. "It's cool. Not the first time someone's tried to beat me up for being around a girl."

Lance scowled dangerously. "Not the first time eh? You do this a lot?"

"All the time." Ranma shrugged. "It's annoying at first. People think they got what it takes to stop me, but you beat them around a few times and they go away." He sighed tiredly. "Really, you'd think people would just leave me alone about the girls, but noooooo, it's always 'Unhand her!' or 'I won't let you hurt Akane' or 'She's my bride-to-be, you keep your hands off her!'"

Lance's glare grew progressively more menacing the more he heard. "I... see."

"Pfeh." Ranma snorted. "Seriously, if they'd just let me finish with 'em they could do whatever they wanted afterward, but no, I'm not that lucky."

Avalanche scowled, abruptly getting back into his jeep and speeding off, leaving an almost choking cloud of smoke smelling of burnt oil and exhaust. Ranma watched him go curiously. He had the sudden impression the guy was pissed off about something. but whatever could it be?

"RANMA!" Kitty yelled, running up the side-walk. She looked tired, panting slightly with a sheen of sweat glistening off her brow.

The boy blinked. "Hey, Kitty. Uh, you okay?" she looked rather pale now that he noticed. He rubbed her back gently as the girl fought to catch her breath.

It took a few moments before she recovered, that bright cheerful smile returned as she did. "Like, I'm fine. But you!" She frowned cutely, poking him in the chest gently. "Where did you run off to? I've been looking for you since school let out!"

Ranma winced. "Ah... sorry 'bout that. Toad beat up some bully. We made a run for it before any teachers could catch us and give us detention."

Kitty blinked. "Uh... Toad?"

"Yeah, little guy has some serious strength." The Pig-tailed boy nodded seriously. "Honestly, give him a few months of hard work, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could go toe to toe with me." For second or two, he added mentally.

The Shadow-cat shivered at the very thought of Toad being able to fight on even terms with the boy. She suddenly found herself in a slight hug, Ranma once again pressing his hand against her forehead, concern evident in his gray-blue eyes. "Uh..."

"You were shivering again." The boy frowned. "And your face is going all red too! You sure you aren't sick?"

Kitty gulped, fighting down the sudden butterflies in her tummy. "Ah... no, like, fit as a fiddle." At his disbelieving stare she chuckled weakly. "Like, uh, we need to go! You're supposed to give us an afternoon lesson, right?"

Ranma blinked. "Oh yeah." He grinned then, surprising the girl by picking her up bridal style. "Now... which way is home again?"

[][][][][][]

The long walk down the road from Xavier's institute was slightly unbearable for her. Rogue felt her insides twisting a bit at the thought of the trouble she was in. Seeing Logan use his claws to spear an apple really hammered home the fact that by bringing Risty to the institute she could have unintentionally revealed that they were mutants. She could already hear the Professor giving her a lecture about it.

"Stupid geezer!" Risty raged, occasionally waving a clenched fist at the house. "Call me a brat! I'll show him!"

"Ah... he don't mean nothin' by it," Rogue weakly defended. "He just ain't good with people he doesn't know."

"Bah!' Risty threw her arms up. "Whatever."

They walked a fair bit in silence, only the sound of their shoes pounding pavement to entertain them. At the gate Rogue let out a tired sigh. "Look, Ah'm sorry 'bout this. I fergot all about the new after school lessons they're havin'."

"It's okay." The English girl shrugged. "Wasn't gonna be able to stay long either way, have some errands to run."

Rogue felt slightly relieved at that. "Ah right. See you tomorrow?"

"You bet..." Risty tapered off suddenly, as a gust of wind suddenly blew through as Ranma and Kitty landed behind her.

"Heheheh!" Kitty giggled. "Like, that is so fun!"

Ranma chuckled, letting the girl down. "Yeah, not much can beat roof hopping." He glanced at the other girls, nodding slightly "Heya."

Kitty rounded on the two, waving cheerfully "Hey, Rogue! Risty!"

Rogue waved timidly "Uh... hi."

Risty grinned. "Hey!" She stepped up to them. "You're Ranma Saotome, right?"

The boy blinked. "Uh, yeah. And you're Risty... uh..."

"Wilde," she supplied helpfully, "Risty Wilde."

"Nice to meet you." Ranma grunted, eying her curiously. "Are you one of Xavier's kids?"

Rogue grimaced. "No, she's mah friend from school."

Risty eyed the boy from head to toe, much to Ranma's chagrin. At his annoyed look her cheerful grin widened. "Oh, don't mind me. Not every day a Master of the Anything Goes school of martial arts pops up."

Kitty blinked. "Like, you know him?"

"Nope." Risty shrugged. "Not personally, anyway. Father mentioned him after one of his trips, had me learn some of the style from this old perverted gnome a few years back."

Ranma blanched. "Ugh, the old letch?"

Risty nodded darkly. "Yes."

"Uh, what the heck are you two talkin about?" Rogue broke into the conversation, eying them suspiciously.

In tandem, with so much scorn and disgust it honestly surprised the two X-girls, Ranma and Risty said, "Happosai."

Risty shuddered suddenly. "Gah... just his name makes me feel dirty!"

"I know the feelin'." Ranma grunted, eying the girl curiously. "How long did the bastard teach ya?"

"Until I lost thirty or so pairs of underwear." Risty shrugged casually.

"What the heck?" Kitty blinked. "How does losing underwear relate to martial arts?"

"Pray you never, ever find out." Risty shuddered. "I'm scarred for life."

"Yeah, lot of that goin' around." The pigtailed boy snorted. He gave Kitty and Rogue a pointed look. "And shouldn't you two be getting prepped for a training session?"

Rogue glared at him, before turning to Risty. "Meh... gotta go. See ya later?"

"You bet." Risty nodded, waving as the girl turned and hurried up the road to the institute with Kitty in tow. She turned back to Ranma, who stared at her suspiciously. "Uh, something wrong?"

"I dunno." Ranma frowned thoughtfully. "When did you run into the letch again?"

"Uh..." Risty shrugged. "Three, maybe four years ago. Why?"

"Ah..." Ranma suddenly lashed out, gripping the girl's shirt and pushing her against the wall, pinning her in place. "You're lying."

"Ow!" Risty winced. "Stop it! You're hurting me!"

"Shaddap," Ranma snapped, his eyes suddenly glowing blue as he looked at her. "Pfeh... figures, another mutant." He frowned then. "Aura is like a shifting weave of patterns, colors, shapes... Chameleon power maybe?"

Risty sweated. "Please, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Wrong," the boy snarled. "You said you ran into Happosai a few years ago, problem with that is until a year or so ago the letch had been sealed in a cave for two decades. He couldn't have trained you when you said."

The girl gulped, shaking mightily as the boy glared at her with his eerie glowing eyes.

Holding her by her shirt, Ranma raised his free hand up to her face. "Maybe not just a chameleon mutation, maybe something more?" He cupped her cheek.

Risty gasped as all at once her form began to change. Like dominoes, her skin rolled from head to toe, revealing her mature birth form beneath. A young woman with raven black hair, pale skin, and soft green eyes stood where Risty Wilde had once stood. And she was utterly naked.

Ranma froze stiff. With the shape change his hand on her shirt was now a hand pressed against the naked woman's breasts. He yelped, jumping back and breaking contact with the woman. All at once her form shifted again, returning to the role of Risty Wilde.

Risty blinked, raising her hands and inspecting them thoughtfully. "What... what the hell did you just do?"

Blushing, the boy winced. "Uh, eer... sorry about that." He sighed, the blue glow from his eyes fading. "I... er... I think they say I nullify powers, and, uh, that's what I did to you," he manage to stutter out, quickly adding, "I swear I didn't know you were naked!"

The shape-shifter looked at him blankly. "Ah..." She chuckled lightly. "Well, I am a bit of an exhibitionist."

"I'm pretty damn sure I don't know what that means," Ranma deadpanned. "Look, you lying about when Happosai trained ya just got to me."

"Right." Risty grimaced. "I'm older than I look right now, okay. I ran into Happosai fifty years ago, and since then I wish to god I hadn't."

"Not the first woman to say that." Ranma nodded knowingly. "Still, why pose as a little girl now?"

Risty shrugged. "It's another life to me."

"Yeah, you're gonna have to explain that one," the boy demanded.

"Well, a normal person can only live so long right? Sooner or later everyone dies," Risty said slowly, so as not to muddle the point. "Maybe they're lucky and die of old age, or unlucky and get killed in an accident. My previous life got into a situation where there was no chance of survival. Now I'm building up a new persona, a new life from scratch. It's the only way to fit in today's society."

"Yeah, I don't really get it." Ranma scratched his head.

Risty just sighed. "Look, it's not important. I'm Risty now, and will be Risty for a long time. I moved here to start a new life, and I have." She looked at him pointedly. "Provided I won't have to worry about you running your mouth off about me, I can keep this life. Otherwise..." She sighed. "Well, I suppose I could always move to Africa and start a new persona there."

The boy just sighed. "Meh. Whatever." He glanced at her thoughtfully. "I won't say nothin', if...," he grinned then, "... if you do me a favor."

Risty rolled her eyes. It figured, it honestly did. "Fine. But I don't sleep with just anyone."

"Eh..." Ranma frowned. "Get over yourself, you aren't that good looking."

The girl blinked. "Are you... saying I'm ugly?"

Ranma opened his mouth to reply, but managed to catch himself just in time. Now was not the time to piss off yet another girl. Knowing his luck, if he did they'd some how get engaged and spark World War Three when the other fiancées found out. Best not to go down that road. Ever. "No, I'm not," he put out hastily. "You're pretty, okay? Oh, and this Risty persona is cute too." He ignored her pointed stare. "Anyway, since you say Happosai trained you, I'm guessin' you at least got good enough to beat the letch off you?"

Risty smiled darkly. "Beat him to within an inch of his life."

"Awesome." Ranma could respect that. "Well, I got this job teaching these kids, and I could always use an assistant to help get them caught up. Now, can't pay you, but I can keep your little secret."

Risty just looked at him, and for a moment Ranma could have sworn he caught a devilish glint in the shape-shifters eye. "Ah... well... With that on the table, how can cute little ole me possibly say no?" she said with a smirk slowly forming on her lips

"Cool," Ranma said simply, walking up the path with Risty in tow, utterly ignorant of the calculating stare she gave him as they went. "We'll need to get you some clothes in case we spar, don't want to accidentally nullify your powers."

Risty frowned then, asking quietly, "Why didn't you nullify my powers when you grabbed my shirt?"

Ranma shrugged. "I have no idea." he glanced at her, frowning. "Can you take those clothes off?"

"Eh..." she shook her head, "I can, somewhat. As long as I still have contact with them, at any rate."

"No idea then." The boy frowned, eying her figure up and down thoughtfully. "I... I think I know someone whose is about your size." he nodded then, "Yeah, should be good enough to make sure we don't accidentally touch."

[][][][][][]

Scott busied himself stretching, trying to get used to the dogi Ranma had insisted they wear for his lessons. He spared the gymnasium they were in a look, marveling at how utterly empty it was. The New Mutants had danger room sessions under Xavier and Logan's supervision, so this really was the next best place to work out in the school. Lots of room with exercise equipment to the sides in case Ranma wanted to do some weight training. He hoped this particular session would see some of the tension ease between the lot of them, especially between him and Jean. The redhead had been extremely cold and distant since the beating they had earned yesterday.

He spared the others a glance, each preparing in their own way. Rogue was a bit of a surprise, stretching in ways he didn't think the girl could, showing a limberness he had never expected. She gave him a blank stare when she caught him looking, and he quickly turned his attention to Jean after that.

The redhead sat on the mats Indian style, seeming to gaze out into space. He wondered what was going through her head, wondered what he could do to get through to the girl again. That divide that had erupted between them hurt something fierce. All he wanted to do was close that gulf, to be on friendly terms again.

The doors to the gym opened then, and Ranma entered, clad in his normal attire, followed by that friend of Rogue's, Risty. Scott cast a shocked glance at the girl, turning to Kurt. The boy had seen the girl and activated his image inducer before she saw his true form. What the hell was she doing here?

"Give me a line," Ranma ordered.

They slowly did so.

Rogue eyed her friend. "Uh... Risty?"

Risty waved cheerfully. "Hiya Rogue!"

"Shaddap," their Instructor snapped. "I said give me a line!"

"Ranma..." Scott began, only to find himself suddenly on his back as Ranma flew in and flipped him, gripping his arm in a painful hold.

"I am not Ranma," the boy snapped. "The moment we enter this room, I am not Ranma. I am not your friend, I am not your enemy. I am your sensei, and you will address me as such."

"Ranma! Let Scott..." Jean winced as Risty dashed forward, kicking the girl's legs out from under her. She slammed into the mats hard. Risty wasted no time and grabbed the girl's arms, putting a foot at the base of her spine and pulling up, keeping that hold in place despite the redheads weak struggles.

"We have no names!" the English goth snarled. "We are sensei, you are our students, you will address us as such!"

The rest of the X-men boggled at the sight of it.

Ranma watched them each in turn. "Have we made ourselves clear?" At their nods, he tightened his hold on Scott's arm, repeating, "Have I made myself clear?"

"Y- Yes," Scott managed through gritted teeth.

Letting him go, Ranma snapped, "Now get in line."

Scott got to his feet, holding his shoulder as he got in line. Jean followed suit, practically glaring hell-fire daggers into Risty's back as she returned to the front with Ranma.

"Now..." Ranma began, eying them up. He paused at Kurt, frowning slightly as he spoke, "...you have unfortunately been chosen as my students, and while I think the collective brains of this group consists of Kitty alone, I'm responsible for teaching the rest of you morons how to fight."

Kitty chuckled weakly at the glares and gritted teeth of the others. Oh boy did this suck.

Ranma gestured to Risty. "Thanks to some blind luck on my part, Wilde here has received some training from the Grandmaster of my school and will help me get the lot of you caught up somewhat."

Risty waved cheerfully.

Rogue just stared at the girl in confusion.

"But before we get to it, some ground rules." Ranma glared sternly at them each in turn. "Your oh so precious tricks? Yeah, you won't be using those. If I see you using them, suspect you of using them, or hear about you using them I will punish you so hard that what I did to you yesterday will seem like a love tap. Do I make myself clear?"

The group looked at each other, casting apprehensive glares at Ranma in turn.

Risty frowned. "Eh, Ranma-sensei, what tricks are you..."

"Sensei!" Scott shouted. "I need to speak to you privately, please!"

Ranma frowned at the boy. "Privately? You think anything you have to say is so important the others don't deserve to hear it?"

Scott grimaced. "No, Sensei. But I have to speak to you privately before I can say anything else."

Their Instructor sighed, shaking his head. "Risty, take the others for a few laps." He glanced at Scott. "Boy, you better pray what you consider 'important' is something I consider 'important', or God help you."

Risty shrugged. "On me," she said as she started leading the group on a long jog around the length of the Gymnasium

Scott waited until they were on the far side and well out of range of hearing before he rounded on Ranma. "What do you think you're doing? You can't bring her here, she's not a mutant!"

Ranma blinked. "And? I don't see the problem, Summers."

"And? If she stays she'll find out what we are! Kurt can't even drop his image inducer with her around! If Rogue so much as grazes her she'll get drained!" Scott snarled. "We can't reveal we're mutants, not to anyone, not yet!"

"I see," He said, glancing at the girl with a thoughtful frown. "I don't really see why anyone gives a damn, but I'll take it under advisement." He turned back to the boy. "For the time being I'll handle Rogue and Kurt's training personally, but I really think you're blowing this whole mutant thing out of proportion." He shrugged. "People either accept you, which is cool, or they don't, then you shouldn't care."

"It's not that easy!" Scott snapped. "You have got to be the dumbest, most idiotic..." He never got to finish. Ranma stepped forward and punched him in the gut with enough force to knock the breath out of him. The boy crumpled around the blow, falling to his knees and gasping desperately for breath.

Ranma knelt down beside the gasping boy. "Let's get one thing straight, Summers. You want to insult me? Fine. Frankly, I'm impressed you've worked up the balls after that ass kicking I handed you yesterday. Hell, I encourage it." He chuckled. "Problem is, if you talk smack, you have to be ready to back it up. I'm not your buddy. I'm not going to sit here and act like I give a spit whether or not you live or die. I don't care about your 'concerns', your fear of being revealed, or any of that shit. Now stop crying like a damn girl and get up."

Scott gasped, fists clenching tightly as Ranma walked away. One way or another, the leader of the X-men swore he would kick that bastard's ass!

[][][][][][]

Storm counted the cups on the tray, then painstakingly added a precise amount of lemonade to each. It had taken her hours to get it just right, which was fine by her. The longer she kept herself busy, the longer she was able to ignore that utterly aggravating scratching sensation she felt all over her body.

"Who's that for?" Xavier asked, wheeling into the kitchen.

"For the kids," she said simply, gently picking up the tray of drinks. "They've been working hard for hours, they could do with a nice cool glass of lemonade."

The older man raised an eyebrow curiously. "Uh..." He was almost afraid to ask, but after the earlier debacle he was rather curious. "You have enough sugar?"

Storm leveled a white-eyed glare at the man. "Are you suggesting there isn't?"

Xavier waved his hands rapidly. "No! Absolutely not! I'm sure there's a perfect amount of sugar!"

She smiled brilliantly then. "Yes, of course there is," she said and left.

The Professor let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was about to leave himself when he heard a miserable groan behind the counter island. He peered over, blinking at the sight of Logan collapsed on the floor, many many empty cups of lemonade lying beside him. "Uh..."

"Help me..." the feral man groaned. "Too much sugar... Not enough sugar... Please, no more lemonade!"

Xavier sweated. He couldn't help but think 'Better him than me' as he wheeled around and vowed to forget the entire event.

[][][][][][]

Ranma eyed his students. All were sweaty, gasping desperately for breaths, and glaring at him with such absolute brain-splattering hate he couldn't help but feel proud. He had worked them hard for hours, and damn if he wasn't impressed they hadn't passed out yet.

Risty sighed. "I remember this."

"Heh, yeah." Ranma chuckled. "First tenant of Anything Goes: Make them hate you, make them want nothing more than to learn, just so they can kick your ass."

"Good times." Risty smiled wistfully, glancing at the boy thoughtfully. "Did Happosai train you too?"

"Hah!" The boy snorted. "He likes to say he did, but no, never trained me seriously. My pops did."

"Oh." She nodded. "I think you got the better teacher. Assuming your pops didn't try and teach you how to steal underwear."

Ranma sighed, bitterly saying, "Nah, pops aimed higher. Tried to turn me into some kind of super crook. Made two schools designed to steal or break down a house."

"Really?" Risty grinned nastily. "How does your father rate as a teacher then? When compared to Happosai."

The boy blinked, eying the girl. "Eh... as a teacher? I guess he's at least ten times better. Sure as hell wouldn't have learned anything from Happosai." He grinned then, a nasty challenging grin that he had no doubts would piss off the girl. "Hell, I bet you didn't learn anything either."

Risty returned the grin with a sneer. "I know enough to kick your ass!"

"Oh really?" Ranma cracked his knuckles. "Wanna give it a go?"

"What, now?" Risty blanched. "Uh... No. I don't..."

"Chicken," Ranma said innocently.

"Oh that's it." Risty snarled, stepping up no more than inches away from him and glaring. "Let's do this, you limp prick fuckhead!"

Ranma grinned, barking, "Brats! Take a knee to the side!"

The group slowly did as they were told, relief flooding their features as they were finally allowed to sit down and rest. Ranma only idly noticed Storm walk in bearing a tray of drinks, but paid her no mind.

"Alright kiddies," he said, walking the length of them, "one rule concerning Anything Goes: Someone challenges you, you accept. It's a matter of honor and pride, so not accepting is not only an insult to you, but also an insult to the school itself. Understand?"

They nodded dumbly.

"Good. Now, Risty here has challenged me to a fight." He chuckled. "Called me all sorts of names too. I'm honor bound to beat the hell out of her."

"Shut it, bitch!" Risty snapped, ignoring the startled looks of the X-men. "Let's do this, or are you going to run away like a scared little girl?"

"Oh, Risty, you say the sweetest things." Ranma chuckled, pulling on some gloves. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were asking to be my girlfriend."

Risty waved Storm off when she offered her a cup from the tray, ignoring or ignorant of the dark look the Nubian woman shot her in return. "As if a little boy like you could offer me anything!"

Rogue blanched, looking between the two of them. "Uh, Sensei... Ah don't think its a good idea ta..."

"Quiet Rogue," Storm interrupted, offering the tray. "Have some lemonade. I made it especially for you."

The Southern Belle looked at the woman like she was crazy. "Uh..."

"Drink it!" Storm snapped sweetly.

Rogue grabbed a cup, wide-eyed shock evident.

Ranma rolled his head, popping his neck before holding his hands behind his back. "Well, babe, let's see just what you can offer me first. If it's any good I might let you lick the sweat off my jock strap."

Risty scowled, ignoring several 'Ewww's coming from the X-Men at that. She didn't respond with words, charging the bastard with a series of hard, fast strikes.

Ranma dodged them all, leaning just enough to avoid the punches while lightly hopping over her kicks. "Uh, you can start any time, babe."

The goth girl grimaced, circling the boy and striking in a flicker. The boy seemed bored, idly leaning out of the way or dancing out of the way until the last punch, which he caught before yanking mightily. Risty lost her balance, falling forward where Ranma caught her, twisting her around and hugging her tightly against his chest. "Weak, Risty, weak... Oh! I know!" he crowed, goosing her.

Risty's eyes widened. She jumped away from the boy's grasping hand. Holding her butt, she gasped, staring in shock at him.

Ranma whistled, idly twirling a pair of dark purple underwear. "My my. How did I ever get my hands on these?"

[][][][][][]

Evan blinked. "Huh... Where did he get..." He colored red, glancing at Risty. "Oh... Oh man. Did he?"

"I think he did!" Kurt gasped. "Holy cow, he took her underwear off while she was wearing it!'

Jean boggled. "Wha... How? She's still wearing pants!"

Rogue scowled. "That's some bullshit, right there!"

Storm cooed comfortingly. "Oh don't fret. Drink your lemonade!"

[][][][][][]

"You... you son of a bitch!" Risty scowled, face glowing beat red, out of rage or embarrassment was anyone's guess.

Ranma blinked, head tilting slightly as he uttered the single most diabolical word she had ever heard in her life. "Hotcha."

Risty snarled, trembling in abject fury as she stared at the boy. A soft blue glow began to surround her form as she tapped into the rage, the indignation, the absolute fury she had kept within her from those dark years as Happosai's student. It came in a torrent, an endless deluge of righteous feminine fury unleashed because of one simple, single word from her tormentor.

"Die!" Risty snarled, that soft blue glow erupting into almost eye-piercing intensity as she charged the boy. She ignored the startled gasps from the X-Men, ignored the angry snarl from Storm as she once again tried to get them to drink her damn lemonade. All she saw was him, his lecherous grin, his piercing eyes...

Ranma grinned, throwing the underwear to the side as he lunged to meet her. They came together in a fury of blows, striking mercilessly at each other with little regard for defense. He quickly got the upper hand, nailing her in the stomach with a side kick that staggered her. He zoomed forward, falling into a slide, and knocked her off her feet. As she fell he punched her in the gut hard enough to launch her nearly ten feet into the air. Kicking up, he leapt up to join her.

Risty was ready, however. As soon as Ranma leapt up she caught his outstretch hand, flowing around the punch and head butting him. He countered, flipping around mightily as they fell. When they hit the ground he landed on top of her, his weight knocking the breath out of her slightly.

[][][][][][]

Scott raised an eyebrow. "How... She was glowing?"

"Ah dunno." Rogue stared in shock.

"Is she a mutant, or is she like him..." Jean frowned thoughtfully.

Storm snarled. "Drink your damn lemonade or so help me I will end you!"

The three grimaced, drinking their lemonade. Scott and Rogue knew better than to say a damn thing about it.

Jean, however, did not. "Little too much sugar..."

Storm howled in rage, tossing the tray angrily as she stormed for the exit.

Scott watched the tray fly with an odd sort of detachment. It careened through the air, flipping and uploading its cold watery goodness in a spray that arced from their group, across the mats, and hit Ranma and Risty square on.

[][][][][][]

The water hit, and Ranma barely noticed the shift as his body grew lighter, his chest expanded into a pair of glorious breasts, and that which made him a man vanished as his hair turned bright red.

Risty stopped struggling, staring bug-eyed at the female redhead straddling her. "Uh..."

Ranma sighed, rolling off the girl. "Well, that figures."

"What the hell?" Rogue yelled, pointing. "Yer a girl!"

[][][][][][]

Unbeknownst to the entire shocked group, near the exit Storm suddenly trembled, gasped and moaned all at the same time. She blearily opened her eyes, smiling happily. "I don't know what that was, but it was better than sex." She strolled out of the gym with the happiest grin anyone would have ever seen on the Nubian woman.

[][][][][][]

"Calm down," Ranma snapped, glaring at the dumbstruck X-Men. She turned to Risty, offering a hand up. "Nice fight, by the way. Glad to see you can tap into Ki already."

Risty stared at the hand, slowly accepting it and getting to her feet. "What..." She breathed in disbelief. "What the hell? You're a girl!"

Ranma shrugged. "I am now, yeah." She glanced at the others, sighing. "Alrighty, explanation time. Follow me and I'll spell it out for you."

A quick jaunt to the showers, and Ranma turned on two of them, setting one to cold and another to hot. She backed up, taking off her top and leaving her in nothing but a flimsy white tank top. "Okay, quick version. There used to be a training ground in China called Jusenkyo..."

"The cursed springs?" Risty boggled. "They exist?"

"Used to." Ranma shrugged. "I kinda accidentally destroyed them a few months back, no big loss really."

Scott coughed. "Okay, so these springs have something to do with you turning into a girl?"

Evan bit his thumb, correcting Cyclops. "A fine ass girl, man!" He winced then, both from Ranma glaring at him and Kitty stamping his foot.

"Yes, well." Ranma sighed. "The springs each had something or someone drown in it. Now when someone enters the spring they become cursed, taking the form of whatever drowned in them." She looked at them, not in the least bit surprised at their lost looks. She stepped into the hot shower.

Kitty watched, utterly fascinated as the buxom red-headed girl transformed into the dark-haired martial artist. "Like, wow. Where does all the mass go? It makes no sense!"

Ranma shrugged, rubbing his head. "Hell if I know." He stepped back into the cold shower, changing into a girl once again.

Scott found his gaze wandering. That flimsy tank top was soaked. He could clearly see her breasts. "Uh... uh..."

"Scott!" Jean scowled, pushing the boy. "Stop staring, that's creepy!"

Rogue stared at the boy-turned-girl, blinking rapidly. "Uh... so, uh, ah... ya really a girl? Totally?"

The gender-cursed martial artist blinked. "Was I born a girl?"

The Southern Belle just nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Nah, I'm a guy. I just fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl." She shrugged, ignorant of her heaving bosom and the effect it was having on the boys. "Far as we've figured, this just transforms me into what I would've looked like if I had been born a girl instead of a guy."

"How complete is the transformation?" Risty asked, looking thoughtful as she eyed the boy-turned-girl.

Ranma rolled her eyes. "My manhood's gone, if that's what you're asking."

Jean swung around, glaring. "Could you please cover yourself? Or change back! You're giving the guys a free peep show!"

She shrugged, stepping back into the hot shower. "Alright, any questions?"

"Like, if the mass goes into a dimensional..." Kitty began seriously

Ranma cut her off. "Questions I can actually answer?"

Kurt glanced between the lot of them, seeing their lost or confused looks, then asked, "Uh, how is it Risty glowed like that?"

"Well," Ranma frowned seriously, "she was trained by a little creep named Happosai. He likes to train his students by harassing them, or forcing them to harass others. Risty here, being female, was trained via harassment. She had a lot of built up anger over it, so when I stole her underwear and spoke the word it reminded her of that anger, an anger so focused she was able to turn it into Ki and utilize it for the assault."

Risty shuddered suddenly. "I hate him so much."

Rogue looked at her. "Uh... you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She glared at the gender-cursed martial artist. "And I'll be happy if you never say that damn word again!"

Ranma grunted. "Yeah yeah..."

Evan blinked. "What? You don't want him to say one word, but don't care if he steals your underwear?"

Risty looked at the skater, then back to Rogue, then back to Ranma where she smiled cheerfully. "Nope! He can do that to me a-ny-time."

"Risty!" Rogue blushed, with a horrified look on her face.

Ranma just stared, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm so done talking about this. Class dismissed."

[][][][][][]

Ranma very much appreciated being an instructor, it allowed him several luxuries he never knew were so damn convenient until you actually had them. His own shower, for instance. With the curse finally revealed to the kids, he wouldn't put it past those horn dogs to spray him in the shower for a free peek, or if they felt really lucky a grope. Of course, their chances of surviving the event would be nil, but it was nice that he didn't have to worry about it at all. He rubbed his hair, tossing his used towel in the hamper before heading for the door and exiting out into the hall.

He could smell it even from here, the wonderful scent of a fulfilling dinner on the horizon. Storm was no Kasumi, but she still had a special touch when it came to food. Idly he thought about the woman, pondering just why he felt so... awkward around her. He couldn't put his finger on it, it was at the edge of his senses but whatever it was refused to come into the light. Ranma didn't think it was because she was, with out a doubt, one of the most beautiful women he had met. Oh she lacked the perky assets of Shampoo, or the all around cuteness of Ukyo, but there was just something about her that intoxicated and allured to something dangerously exotic beneath the surface. He could only thank his lucky stars they weren't engaged, if they were he kinda doubted he would be able to resist a woman like that for very long.

"Ranma." an almost sultry purr, delicate and oh so very tantalizing.

The boy blinked, glancing at the woman who had so erotically called his name. He raised an eyebrow at her appearance, white hair slightly disheveled, messy but in a ruggedly cute way. Her shirt, normally buttoned up to the top now hung open quite a bit, a soft peek at her bosom visible for anyone bold enough to look. She still wore pants, but he'd be damned if they didn't look nice and tight on her long legs.

Ranma slapped himself, hard. Dear Kami's, what the hell was he thinking?

Ororo giggled lightly, it was almost musical. "I've... never had some one beat themselves just by calling their name."

"You'd be surprised how often that can happen, actually." Ranma helpfully pointed out, "Anyway, uh, you're looking... nice."

"Thank you." she still smiled that serene calm smile of hers that unnerved him, but there was something else in that smile that honestly made him consider just quitting this gig and heading back to Nerima. Pfft, what was he thinking, if he did that Nabiki would kill him, followed by his mom. He'd rather keep breathing, damn it. "While I'd certainly entertain more flattery, I'm afraid Xavier sent me with a message."

"Oh?" Ranma frowned. "Uh, what does he want?"

"Only that you meet him in his private study, he has some matters to discuss with you." she paused, "He'd also like to see Rogue, could you fetch her? She's in the kitchen."

Ranma nodded slowly. Ororo winked at him saucily as she strutted passed him, hips swinging enticingly as she slowly, ever so slowly walked down the hall. He gulped. turning around and vowing to find out what she put in that damn lemonade of hers. This was becoming bizarre.

[][][][][][]

Rogue frowned, idly messing around with her MP3 player while her thoughts dipped into some troubling topics. Risty, the girl that had fast become her friend was able to use Ki, that weird energy Ranma was able to use. Even more, she had seen the boy transform into a girl, and seemed to accept the curse with little more then a blink and a few questions. That made her wonder, really made her wonder, about Xavier's rules on keeping the fact they were mutants a secret. If Risty could accept a gender change, couldn't she accept her being able to drain peoples powers and memories?

She hoped so. Not that she was going to tell her yet, or maybe not at all. It was something to think about, anyway.

"Hey Rogue." Ranma ducked his head inside the kitchen, looking around before catching sight of her, "Busy?"

"Uh... no... not really." she hesitantly set her headphones down, "Somethin wrong?"

"Hell if I know." The boy shrugged, "Xavier want's to see both of us, he's in his private study."

"Eh..." Rogue winced at that. Xavier didn't ever see anyone in his private study unless there were serious issues to be discussed. Gah, she was in trouble, she knew it. She just couldn't quite figure out what for! There were so many things... She sighed, shaking her head, "Ahright."

Ranma held the door open for her, ignorant or ignoring her pink cheeks as she squeezed by. He followed her, allowing her to lead the way to Xavier's study. She fretted a bit at that, not particularly liking the fact he was behind her, watching her with those fierce eyes, devouring her form as she led him through the halls. As they passed Jean in the hall, she couldn't help but wish she had the girls easy confidence when dealing with guys. How'd does she do it anyway? Rogue had never been so off-balanced in her entire short life, but Jean had an easy grace when dealing with such matters.

Jean paused then, looking at her curiously. Rogue grimaced, moving around the girl quickly lest she say something to embarrass her. Ranma nodded, grunting a hello to the girl as he continued to follow. Thankfully, the rest of the trip went by quick, coming to an end at a set of large double doors that opened into Xavier's private study.

"Ahright." Rogue forced confidence into her voice, "Let's see what tha Professor wants with us." she knocked twice.

"Come on in, Rogue. If Ranma's with you, tell him to come in as well."

Ranma blinked, opening the door and stepping past the nervous goth. She couldn't help but admire his bold confidence, but he probably had no idea they were about to get dressed down for some screw up or another. Well, maybe he wouldn't, but she knew she sure as hell would.

"Take a seat, you two." the crippled man motioned towards the seats in front of his desk.

Ranma did so, looking rather bored as Rogue took her seat. "What's this about, boss?"

Xavier sighed, setting his book down before looking at them pointedly. He stared for a moment before beginning, "Several issues have been brought to my attention concerning events that have involved you both."

Ranma blinked, "What events are you talking about, exactly?"

"It's come to my attention that today at school you two took a tumble down the stairs. Is that right?" Xavier asked simply, hands steepled as he looked at them.

Rogue nodded, "Yeah..."

"Yep." Ranma nodded also, "But before you get mad, let me point out that it was my fault entirely. I bumped into Rogue, which caused her to fall. I jumped out and made sure she didn't get hurt, so if there's any problem here it's going to have to be with me." He either ignored or was ignorant of the slight blush on Rogue's cheeks from that.

"I appreciate your honesty, and I'm thankful you kept Rogue safe." Xavier nodded, "However, let me point out that neither one of you received any injuries from the event."

Rogue grimaced. Oh damn, he was right. Risty had said something about how weird it was that none of them seemed hurt.

"Yeah, and?" Ranma shrugged. "What, I was suppose to let Rogue get hurt for my screw up?"

"No." Xavier shook his head, "No, I really am glad that none of you were hurt. I am, however, responsible for keeping our existence as mutants hidden. It looks rather strange for two normal teenagers to take a tumble down the stairs and receive no injuries, doesn't it?"

"Okay..." Ranma frowned, "... I guess so. What do you want us to do about it?"

"Just keep in mind that every unexplainable instance will raise the awareness of our presence to on-lookers. If you have to fake an injury, then do so." Xavier sighed tiredly, "It's imperative we remain hidden for as long as possible."

"Ahright..." Rogue sighed, "... sorry."

Ranma looked at her, before turning back to Xavier. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Xavier blinked, "What?"

"I can understand the whole faking injury thing; You want to keep mutations a secret, I understand." Ranma grunted, "But let me ask you this; Have you ever been shot?"

"Can't say I've ever had the pleasure." Xavier stared blankly.

"Yeah, well I have." he said simply. "Hurts like hell, but I still walked away from that. How the hell do you expect me to fake something like that?"

"That's a rather extreme example." Xavier shook his head, "In such a case I'd imagine there would be little you could do to hide the secret."

Ranma frowned, "Okay, forget being shot. Have you ever shaken some ones hand?"

Xavier blinked, "Of course."

"And did you accidentally crush every bone in their hand while doing so?" the boy stressed.

"Ah, no." Xavier chuckled lightly, "Doubt anyone would shake my hand after that."

"Which makes my point." the boy continued, "You want us to act 'normal', fake injuries if need be, but what exactly is normal?" Ranma frowned, "Frankly, normal for me is getting hit by a speeding bus and whining about getting my clothes dirty. How would you react in that situation?"

"I'd likely die." Xavier drawled.

"It's hard to fake being dead." Ranma pointed out needlessly, "But still, you see what I'm getting at? This isn't even taking my mutation into account, this is just who I am."

Xavier sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly, "You are a unique case, Ranma. I understand the majority of your abilities aren't based on mutation, but think of it from the perspective of your normal, everyday person. Would they see a difference between mutations and your abilities at a glance?"

"Yeah, I really don't care prof." Ranma shrugged, "I get what your saying, I really do, but you can't honestly expect us to fake being injured when someone cracks us in the head with a boulder!"

Rogue sweated, "Uh, that would kill me."

"What, really?" Ranma blinked at that. "Okay..." he glanced at Xavier, "... maybe I really don't know what's considered normal."

"Right." Xavier sighed tiredly, rubbing his forehead. "I think I'll instruct Ororo to work on teaching you just how different you are from average people."

"Fine." the boy shrugged, "I still don't see the point of hiding our mutations. Risty sure as hell didn't give a damn when she saw my curse in action; if she can get over that I don't see why other people couldn't shrug it off."

Xavier looked confused, "Uh... curse? What are you talking about."

Ranma just stared.

Rogue coughed nervously, turning away with a slight blush.

"Uh... can some one explain this bit to me?" Xavier asked again, frowning slightly.

"Oh this is rich." Ranma chuckled, "You do all that research, bend so many damn laws to get me over here, and you never even found out about the curse?"

"Could you get to the point, please?" Xavier was starting to get impatient.

"Quick version. Cold water turns me into a girl, hot water turns me back into a boy. That's the curse in a nutshell." Ranma blithely spouted off. "Seriously, you didn't even know about the curse..."

Xavier blinked twice, staring at Ranma before looking to Rogue, the girl only nodding in response. "Uh... and you say Risty saw this?"

"Sure did." Ranma shrugged, "Don't believe me, you can always ask the others about it. Risty didn't give a spit about me becoming a girl, I don't see how she couldn't adjust to knowing about mutations either."

"I... see." Xavier grimaced, "Please, if you would excuse me? I have some... thinking to do."

Ranma shrugged, "Alright."

Rogue nodded, not trusting her voice as she stood up and headed for the door. Ranma followed her, closing the door softly behind them.

They walked for a few moments, Ranma not particularly having anything to say, and Rogue lost in thoughts.

Rogue paused suddenly, not turning to face him as she softly mumbled, "Ah'm sorry."

Ranma blinked, eying the girl curiously. "Eh, sorry for what?"

"For... yellin at ya this mornin... for blamin ya for what Kurt did... for not trustin you." she said through shuddering breaths. "Ah really am sorry."

Ranma watched her curiously. He touched her shoulder, turning her around and blinking at the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. He struggled to find something to say, but eventually sighed, "It's okay."

Rogue nodded, nervously turning away. "Thanks." she said softly as she walked around the corner and out of sight.

The cursed martial artist stared at the girl as she left, scratching his head in confusion. "Okay... what the hell was that about?" He couldn't figure that girl out at all.

"Ranma!" Logan snarled near the front door, the man rapidly putting on his jacket."I'm out! Don't tell Ororo anything!" before slamming the door open and freezing in shock at the Nubian woman standing there.

Ororo smiled beautifully, holding a tray with cups of lemonade. "Oh Logan..."

Ranma felt his hackles rise at the sight. Something was just so very very wrong with this picture.

"Uh... Ororo." Logan grimaced, hesitantly taking a step back as she sauntered through the door.

"Come now, Logan." She looked at him pointedly, "You didn't really think I'd let my favorite guinea pig flee? Not with out helping me perfect my lemonade recipe." she tilted her head slightly, that eerie smile slightly growing. "Did you?"

"Please... no more..." the man practically groveled.

"Oh Logan..." Ororo huffed slightly, glancing towards the stunned pigtailed martial artist. "... would it make you feel better if I asked Ranma to help taste test with you?"

"I know what I have to do." Ranma said seriously.

He turned tail and ran like hell.

* * *

TBC

AN: Lots of changes have been made from the rough draft to the revision, so many I won't comment on them all. I will, however, explain something that has been bothering me. I'm honestly surprised no one commented on it in the original rough draft.

Anyway, it concerns Mystique's shape-shifting. For the most part in the various instances when she shape changes, she changes her clothes as well, which raises the question if Ranma, a 'nullifer' grabs her clothes should she not immediately shape-change to her true pre-mutation form?

The answer is, of course, yes. However I've decided to make a little change here; Mystique, and indeed all shape-changers, have a hard resistance to nullifers. A nullifer, or a null field, needs to 'touch' a part of their skin directly in order to utterly negate their power. Essentially, while clothes are indeed part of the mutation, they count as some what... separated from the whole. This doesn't mean she can take her shirt off, or at least I don't think she can, but it allows for some leeway with Mystique and other Mutants.

Anyway, that's just a heads up. Mystique actually has to buy clothes for a damn change.

A note on Jusenkyo: I am well aware Ranma did not destroy them. Ranma is well aware he didn't destroy them, he just likes to say he did in the vain hope he'll never have to deal with them again. They were flooded at the end of the Manga, so who knows how long it'll take before they're ready to be used again.

Yarp.


	5. Chapter 5

Void

Written By: Matdeception

Rough Draft Begun: 8/10/11

Rough Draft Complete: 8/14/11

Revision Begun: 8/15/11

Revision Ended: 8/16/11

Disclaimer: Mouse is a communist. He meows 'Victory for the Proletariat' even as he rules over my household with an iron catspaw. He is upset we don't own Ranma of X-men: Evo, he wants to rule over them too.

Credits: Zane (TFF) for inadvertently answering a question about cinnamon rolls. PcHeintz72 (Spelling errors, wrong word usage). Foesjoe for a wonderful idea on something that perfectly alters a later plot point (Even if he isn't aware he did it), also editing/grammar consultant.

-0-0-0-

A mind is like an egg; the skull is the shell, the albumen its physical self, and the oh-so-delicious yolk their precious memories.

He had a duty to perform, a function to serve a being of Divinity. When one supplies the core of His plan, one must simply make sure that core is readily available.

A mind is like an egg, easily crushed.

He had a lot of eggs to crush.

-0-0-0-

Chapter 5: Stirring the dough.

-0-0-0-

Kitty risked a peek, phasing through the wall just enough to see what was on the other side.

She immediately noticed the smell of oh-so-delicious eggs, the tantalizing taste of cinnamon rolls freshly pulled from the oven, and heard the soft calm humming of the woman that had, quite frankly, freaked her out last night. Storm seemed normal this morning, moving about with a calm grace as she busied herself with her morning ritual. Kitty took strict notice of her hair, perfectly combed with not a single strand out of place; another good sign. She was smiling. However, while not full proof evidence she was still psychotic, it was enough to keep the California girl on edge. What to do, what to do...

When her tummy rumbled, she came to a decision. She could always run away phasing if Storm proved to be crazy still. It was a plan.

"Morning, Ororo." Jean came into the kitchen through the proper entrance, waving at the older woman as she moved for the refrigerator, grabbing some orange juice and pouring it into a cup.

"Good morning, Jean." Storm smiled pleasantly before turning her head directly to the partially head-through-the-wall phased girl. "Kitty, is something wrong?"

"Hey." Kitty winced, emerging into the room fully. "Like, no more lemonade?"

Jean choked on her orange juice, casting fearful looks at the older woman and Kitty both.

Ororo had the decency to blush. "Ah, yes. Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me."

Kitty grinned, stepping back through the wall.

Storm stared at the wall thoughtfully, throwing Jean a glance, the redhead just shrugging. That was when she heard it, a squeal of excitement "She's normal!" followed by a stampede as the other kids barged into the kitchen.

Ororo blinked, enduring sudden hugs from her nephew, Kurt, and even Scott. Rogue was a bit more sedate, a light smile and a wave of the hand her show of affection. "My... my goodness."

"You had us worried there, Storm," Scott said truthfully.

Evan grunted. "Yeah, never wanna see you on a lemonade kick ever again!"

"Sorry," the Nubian woman managed to squeak out, blushing in morbid embarrassment at yesterday's craziness.

"It's good ta have ya back." Rogue said with a small smile, idly poking around the food on the counter island. She raised an eyebrow at the cinnamon rolls. She picked one up and took a nibble, frowning. "Huh. Not enough cinnamon."

"DAMN IT!" Ororo screamed, picking up the tray of cinnamon rolls and slamming them into the trash can.

There was a synchronized sweat-drop at that.

Kurt grabbed Scott, vanishing in a puff of smoke as the Weather Witch turned a hungry gaze on them.

Kitty meeped, grabbing Evan and phasing through the wall.

Jean and Rogue sweated, being the only ones left. The Goth slowly backed up, chuckling nervously. "Ah, yeah. Meetin' Risty. Gotta go!" She turned and booked it.

"Yes. School and-" Jean winced when Ororo grabbed her hand.

The Weather Witch was all smiles despite the dark look in her eyes. "Leaving so soon? But you simply must stay and try my next batch. They'll be perfect, I promise!"

Jean internally wailed at the unfairness of it all, even as she lightly smiled on the outside. "Uh, sure."

-0-0-0-

Ranma yawned, scratching the back of his neck as he slowly descended the stairs. That had to have been the most wonderful night's sleep he had ever had in as long as he could remember. He didn't realize it, but there was this... tenseness whenever he slept. Yet today it was as if he had finally been able to relax and truly rest, as if the world had been shifted off his shoulders. He wondered what had changed between yesterday and today, but eventually shrugged the thought off as unimportant.

He peeked into the dining room, frowning. Where was everyone? And y'know, come to think of it, the mansion was pretty damn quiet today. Heck, if yesterday was at all normal he imagined the place would still be packed with chattering kids wolfing down whatever breakfast Ororo had managed to cook up. Yet today there was nothing but eerie silence, as if the mansion had become a ghost town.

The pigtailed boy shrugged after a bit, deeming whatever the problem was unimportant as he headed for the kitchen. He spotted Ororo pulling a pan with rolls that smelled absolutely divine to him from the oven. He only idly noticed the redhead, Jean, sitting at the counter looking absolutely miserable.

"Morning," he chirruped, stepping around the Weather Witch and heading for the refrigerator. Jean shot him a hopeful look that quickly became an annoyed frown before she turned away again. Weird, what was her problem?

"Ah, Ranma!" Ororo said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Sure did," he said, grabbing a cup and filling it with juice before shutting the refrigerator. "How about you?"

"Well," she spoke, setting the steaming pan of rolls down on the counter, "I can't complain." There was something to her words that set him on edge somewhat, her voice dipping down into that erotic allure she had expressed briefly the night prior. She grabbed a single roll, setting it on a plate before sliding it in front of Jean. "Third batch the charm, right?" She smiled brilliantly even as she pointedly stared at the girl.

Jean laughed nervously. "Yeah! I'm... I'm sure this batch will be perfect!"

Ranma frowned thoughtfully. This was... similar to what she had forced Logan to endure last night, at least if the grovelling crying of the feral-like man was to be believed. Yeah, he was sure of it. Well, at least it wasn't lemonade. He had enough of the sweet drink for the next month.

The redhead nibbled, forcing a fake smile as she chirruped, "Hmmm! Good! It's perfect, Storm!"

Ororo smiled brilliantly, picking up another roll and putting it on a plate before offering it to him. Ranma shrugged, taking the plate. He caught a look from Jean there, something desperate in her eyes that tickled his senses. It was as if she was trying to tell him something. Whatever. He took a bite from the roll, frowning darkly. "Aren't these supposed to be cinnamon rolls?"

"Yes." Ororo frowned darkly. "Are... they not perfect?"

Ranma snorted. "There's barely any cinnamon at all! It's about as perfect as only having right side shoes!"

"GAARRGH!" Storm snarled, grabbing the pan of rolls and slamming it against the wall. She levelled the meanest glare Ranma had ever seen on the redhead. "Jean," she said, her tone acidic, "lies do not become us."

Jean sweated. "Uh, please," she grovelled, "please just let me go."

Ranma set his plate down, frowning as he considered the situation. Ororo was clearly bat shit crazy, and Jean... The poor girl looked so miserable and desperate he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. What to do, what to do... Ah! "Hey, Ororo."

"Yes?" the Witch levelled a half-glare his way.

He casually pointed behind her. "Look, Logan's running off with your recipe book!" he crowed.

Ororo ripped around, a slight lightning bolt dancing across her arm as she readied a 'tender' blast to stop the theft. She frowned. No one was there. There was a flash of movement to her right, and she glanced over just in time to see Jean's chair fall on its side, with the girl and Ranma nowhere in sight. "How... how rude."

"Morning, Ororo." Xavier wheeled in with a happy smile. He looked around curiously. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Oh, Charles. Today we're creating the perfect cinnamon rolls!" she chirruped happily, tilting her head and smiling that eerie smile of hers. "Isn't that great?"

Xavier sweated.

-0-0-0-

Jean was rather surprised she hadn't screamed the moment Ranma had grabbed her, but she was quite frankly willing to deal with being manhandled if it meant escaping Ororo's bit of craziness for the day. Her world became a stream of multicolored lights, unable to make sense of anything as the boy rocketed from the house. She felt her gut clench as he jumped over the wall in a flip, landing lightly and finally bringing this roller coaster ride to a stop. She breathed slowly, trying to calm her frazzled nerves and peel her fingers off his shirt from where she had reflexively grabbed him.

Ranma sighed, lowering her to her feet. "Is she always going to be like that?"

"Dear god I hope not." Jean steadied herself, hand pressed against her head to fight off the dizzy feelings from such rapid speed.

"How long were you trapped there, anyway?" he asked, glancing through the gate back to the mansion.

Jean grimaced. "Since everyone abandoned me." She turned and began walking the long walk towards school. She couldn't believe she had been left to fend off Ororo all by herself like that! She imagined at least Scott would have returned to mount a rescue; that he didn't irked her greatly.

Ranma blinked, rushing to catch up with her. "Abandoned you? What's that about?"

The redhead took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "She seemed normal this morning, okay? When she started freaking out the others high-tailed it, leaving me to deal with her."

"Ah." Ranma frowned thoughtfully. "That's kinda dumb. I figured you guys were this close tight-knit group, what with being some kind of super-hero squad. Didn't think heroes left their buddies behind like that."

Jean frowned at that. He was right, even if it was something as childish as escaping Storm's tender loving care. Ever since their 'lesson' at the hands of Ranma there had been a bit of a divide amongst the team, or rather between her and the others specifically. That reminded her of the harsh words they had shared with her in the Danger Room, and the mostly cooled anger she had over it. "Heroes don't," she mumbled tiredly.

"Meh." Ranma put his hands behind his head, gazing up into the clear sky with a frown. "Well, don't you worry none. I won't leave you behind."

Jean glanced at the boy thoughtfully, smiling. "Thank you."

-0-0-0-

Kitty leaned up against the fence, keeping her eyes focused on the road as she waited. Really, she couldn't believe Storm was still crazy. What was up with the woman? Going from her normally cool and collected self into some kind of deranged perfectionist made her hackles rise. She felt a little bad at fleeing, and could only hope whoever got stuck with the woman could forgive her. Of course, she realized with a slight grimace, her fleeing had the unintended side effect of leaving Ranma behind to find his way to school on his lonesome. Really, Kitty, how could you leave your sort-of-boyfriend behind like that?

She blushed, cupping her cheeks at the mere thought of having a cute boyfriend like Ranma.

"Kitty."

The girl blinked, looking up at the tall, dark and handsome Lance. "Eer, hi, Lance!"

The Avalanche frowned, glancing around. "Where's that guy you're all hard up for?"

"Ranma?" Kitty shrugged. "I, like, didn't think to check on him before leaving."

"Oh?" Lance relaxed a bit at that. "So, you finished with him, then?"

"Like, what?" The California girl blinked.

Lance grimaced. "You're finished with him, done running around like you're together."

Kitty snorted. "Like, not a chance." She grinned a bit then. "We aren't finished yet."

"Okay." He frowned thoughtfully. "Just be careful, alright? Guy like that leaves a trail of broken hearts," he said before walking away.

Kitty scratched her cheek cutely. What the devil was Lance trying to get at? It wasn't like she and Ranma were dating. Heck, aside from some light hugging and concerned looks the guy hadn't even done anything with her, but Lance made it sound as if Ranma was leading her around by the nose. She shrugged that thought off as Ranma and Jean came into view.

"Hey, guys!" she chirruped, heading them off.

Jean stared at her for a moment, frowning darkly. She glanced to the boy. "Thanks again, Ranma. I'll see you later."

"Right." The boy waved, eying the redhead thoughtfully as she entered the school.

"Like, something wrong?" Kitty blinked, wondering at the dark looks she had gotten. "Is Jean angry at me or something?"

"Eh." Ranma shrugged. "She's a bit upset, yeah. She got stuck as Ororo's guinea pig."

"Ah." Kitty nodded. Well that explained everything as far as she was concerned. She latched onto Ranma's arm, smiling cutely. "Come on, like, school's waiting!"

-0-0-0-

Taryn glanced around the corner, frowning thoughtfully. She could see Jean slowly walking in her direction, and behind her and outside the Great Disaster was talking with Kitty Pryde. She almost shuddered at the sight of the little peppy girl grabbing the guy like that, reflexively lowering her head and trying desperately not to be noticed.

Jean rounded the corner, catching sight of her and freezing. "Taryn, what on earth are you wearing?"

Taryn blinked, looking down at her old Furinkan High uniform. Sure it was a bit out there as far as the American standard was concerned, but whatever. She didn't wear it because she had some psychotic flash back to her time in Furinkan; no, she wore it because it was a matter of simple practicality. She glanced up at the redhead. "My body armor," she said simply.

"What?" The girl breathed, eyes wide.

Taryn sighed, pulling back her lapel and exposing several layers of hard cloth beneath the uniform. "Specially made Kevlar, designed specifically to resist and repel shuriken, daggers, and cats claws." She fingered another layer beneath the Kevlar. "Impact resistant gel-pads, for the random inanimate object of doom, especially duck shaped potty training toilets." She flipped her skirt up, exposing her behind, or would have if she wasn't wearing boxers. "Boxers to deny the letch his perversions." She pulled a pair of wire cutters connected to a slim steel cable from her pocket. "Wire cutters in case the psycho principal puts barb-wire on the fences again..."

Jean sweated. "Uh, okay. Wow. Just wow."

"It pays to be prepared!" the brown haired girl snapped, pointing her finger down the hall. "Don't you see what's going on?"

The redhead glanced in that direction, frowning thoughtfully. "Uh. It's just Ranma..."

"THE WALKING EMBODIMENT OF CHAOS!" Taryn screeched. "Third rule of Bayville Survivors Guide: Never call him by his first name!"

"Okay." Jean started backing up slowly. "Is crazy contagious? First Ororo and now Taryn?" she mumbled under her breath.

"Oh sure, mock me!" the brown haired girl huffed. "Don't deny it, I can see it in your eyes!" She pointed one finger at her. "But hear my words, Jean Grey! Before the end of the year you'll be wishing you'd heeded my warnings! When the Great Enemy gets here they will feast on the unprepared, they will cull the weak and mindless like so much chaff! You. Have. Been. Warned!" she finished, turning around and racing down the hall.

Every single student within earshot just stopped and stared. Jean rubbed her forehead. "Well. At least today can't get any stranger!"

-0-0-0-

Evan liked skating, he also liked... bending the rules. He skated down the halls, expertly zigging and zagging on his board to work around people. He was so good at it he could actually let his body run mechanically while his thoughts drifted to far more important issues, like his dear, if slightly insane aunt. Ororo had really taken that short step to the side to obsessive compulsive, and for the life of him he couldn't understand what the hell was wrong. What had changed between yesterday and the day before? Well, aside from Ranma showing up. He frowned darkly at that. Was that prick doing something to his aunt? He swore he'd keep an eye on that gender-bender and find out the truth!

"WHOA MAN!" a whiny voice screamed as Evan rounded the corner, the sudden noise bringing him out of his thoughts as he bodily rammed into the Toad. Evan stumbled off his board, accidentally pushing the little guy to the ground as he fought to remain on his feet.

"Damn it, Toad!" Evan snapped, kicking up his skate-board. "Watch where you're going!"

Toad grumbled, pushing himself up tiredly. "Yo man, you were the one skatin' around in school! Don't be blaming the Toad for this!"

Evan idly noticed Ranma and Kitty showing up from down the hall, the former blinking before narrowing his eyes at the scene.

Evan grimaced, pushing off the morbid embarrassment at Toad of all people actually being right. "Eer, shut up!" He actually pushed the little guy back, for his pride if nothing else.

Toad just blinked, looking down at where Evan had pushed him, before looking back up. "Aw man, really? You really wanna do this?"

"Make sense, idiot!" the skater snapped.

"Bah." The Toad fell into a stance, fists raised slightly. "Yo man, I don't wanna do this! Just walk away an' we can forget this ever happened, cool?"

Evan raised an eyebrow at that. Toad was actually standing up to him? He... Well, he was shocked, amused, and not the tiniest bit impressed the guy had a spine after all. "Uh." He glanced behind Toad, frowning at Ranma. "Whatever. It's cool. Sorry I ran into you like that."

Toad blinked, lowering his fists slightly. "What?"

"I said I was sorry," Evan grunted, turning around and walking away.

-0-0-0-

Ranma watched the scene curiously, grinning as Todd stood up for himself on his own this time. "That's how you do it, buddy." he whispered, moving away lest the lanky boy saw him.

Kitty frowned. "Like, you really shouldn't teach Toad to fight."

"Eh?" Ranma glanced at the clingy girl. "Why's that?" Was he doing something wrong teaching the little guy to stand up for himself? He didn't think so, but far be it from him to assume he knew everything about the guy.

"Like, he's part of the Brotherhood," Kitty offered as if that would explain everything.

Ranma frowned thoughtfully at that. "Uh. What's the Brotherhood?"

The California girl blinked, eyes wide. "What, you mean, like, you don't know?"

"Know what, Kitty?" The pigtailed boy glanced at her pointedly.

"Like, the Brotherhood are our..." Enemies? No, she didn't think she could ever call them that, not with Lance there. Eerm, "... rivals!"

"Rivals," Ranma repeated, eyes narrowed slightly. "You mean to say Xavier's group fights with them?"

"Well, kinda," Kitty grumbled. "Not, like, really a fight. We beat them all the time." Well, that had been true of late, Kitty mentally pointed out. Actually it had been pretty close in the beginning, but they had finally beat them through numbers alone.

"How many kids are in this Brotherhood?" She missed his calculating gaze.

"Well, there's Toad there, Pietro, Fred, and Lance of course." She shrugged slightly. "Mystique leads 'em, but we haven't seen hide nor hair of her since this big fiasco some months back."

"Ah." Ranma smirked suddenly. "It's good to have rivals."

-0-0-0-

Kurt idly rubbed his forehead, sighing at the 'word' hidden beneath his image inducer. Really, all things considered, Ranma could have punished him like any normal person. Buzzing 'Pervert' into his head was taking things just a tad bit too far if you asked him. Heck, he'd take a month of double duty with Logan over what Ranma had done.

"Hey, Kurt," Scott spoke up from behind him.

Kurt blinked. "Uh, hey Scott."

"Just wanted to say thanks." The leader of the X-men grinned slightly, giving the boy a thumbs up. "For saving me from Ororo."

"Oh, no problem!" He grinned, before frowning slightly. "I wonder who got stuck with her, though."

Scott frowned thoughtfully. "Well, couldn't be us, or Kitty. Saw her out front twenty minutes ago."

"Evan? Rogue? Jean?" Kurt listed the potential victims, wincing a bit. "Oh man, I hope it wasn't Rogue."

Scott made a point of leaning around him to stare outside the nearby doors. "Clear skies, so I doubt it." Needless to say he wouldn't be surprised if Rogue just drained the woman to escape her clutches, even if it would cause freakish weather for a time.

"EVAN DANIELS!" they heard Principal Kelly scream from down the hall. "There will be no skate-boarding in my halls!"

"So, Evan's here, we can rule out Rogue." Kurt looked behind Scott. "Jean."

Scott frowned, glancing back. The redhead was there, walking on the opposite side of the hall towards them. He moved to intercept the girl. "Hey, Jean."

Jean just looked at him, her eyes a degree colder than ice. "Summers." Her tone was neutral, but he couldn't miss the fact she had reverted to using his last name. Oh, this just pointed to the very real possibility that she was the one who'd gotten left behind, the mere thought of which made him wince internally. Still, he could be wrong. Best to make sure.

"Uh..." Scott said. "How did it go with Ororo?" He realized immediately that was the wrong thing to say to the girl.

"How did it go?" Jean repeated bitterly. "Fine. Absolutely fine," she half snapped, stepping around the boy and continuing on her way.

"Jean!" he called out after the girl.

"Leave me alone." she growled back, not even bothering to look at him as she ducked down an adjacent hall.

Kurt winced. "Oh man."

-0-0-0-

Ranma wondered about Kitty. While he was glad to have a friend in her he couldn't help but ponder how... clingy the girl was getting. Ah well, he was sure this had to be some custom Americans, or at least those Americans who lived wherever the girl had been raised, did to show their friendship. He glanced up and down the halls, eying the kids meandering about and heading off to lunch. His stomach rumbled a bit at the prospect of food, but he forcibly pushed the notion off.

This lunch break he had plans to enact.

Covertly making his way to the cafeteria, he managed to dodge Kitty on her way up the stairs, hiding behind some rather burly football players until she was out of sight. Couldn't let her catch him this time. He highly doubted she'd want to spend lunch with the people he was aiming to spend it with. He examined the throngs of kids, eyes moving to and fro as he looked for the kids in question.

There! At a table near the middle he spotted Todd. The lanky little guy sat with his big friend, but that was it. Ranma deftly moved through the crowd, stepping up to the table and only hearing the tail end of whatever Todd was telling Fred.

"... and he apologized!" Toad grinned slightly, rubbing his hands together nervously.

Fred smiled slightly. "Good. Don't let those X-freaks put you down!"

"Hey Todd." Ranma said cheerfully, putting his hands on the little guys shoulders.

Toad froze with the contact, nervously turning his head back and up. "Uh, heh. Ranma, uh, 'sup?"

Fred frowned somewhat, but said nothing as he watched on.

"Just came by to say I'm proud of you." Ranma drew his hands back, sliding into a chair next to Toad. "For that Duncan creep, and for Evan this morning."

Toad winced. "Uh, you, uh... Thanks?"

Ranma smiled lightly. "You did good."

"Yeah," Fred grumbled, eying the pigtailed boy with a frown. "What do you want?"

Toad blinked, looking between Fred and Ranma curiously. "Uh..."

"Just wanted to check up on my friend," the guy waved Fred's concern off, "and make sure he hasn't gotten any flak for yesterday."

"... Friend?" Fred said dumbly.

Toad felt something there he had only felt twice before in his short life: A subtle warmth in his chest at being called someone's friend. Only Fred and Lance had considered him that before, and now Ranma.

-0-0-0-

"No way!" Risty frowned. "I won't do it. You can stop asking, Rogue!"

"Ah come on, Risty!" the Southern Belle whined slightly. "Jus' fer an hour or so afta school! Please?"

Risty sighed, shaking her head tiredly. "I'm sorry, Rogue, I can't."

"Why not?" Rogue grumped, perhaps a bit petulantly.

"Ranma," Risty said simply. "He's the Master here. He wouldn't want me training you privately, not without clearing it with him first." Really, the last thing she was going to do was antagonize a kid who by all rights could kick the crap out of her and everyone she knew with one arm tied behind his back. "And why are you so interested in training?"

Rogue grumbled, turning her head away slightly. "Jus' ... want ta train?" she responded lamely.

"Uh huh." Risty grinned a bit. "And what, show your handsome instructor how fast you're learning?" She raised an eyebrow at the slight blush spreading across Rogue's cheeks. "Oh, show him how good you are, and maybe get some ... private," she stressed the word, "lessons from him? Hmm?"

"It ain't like that!" Rogue blushed despite her words.

Risty laughed lightly, shaking her head. Really, Rogue was just a bit out of her league with Ranma. She thought it rather cute the girl was willing to dive headlong into training to try and prove herself to the guy, but rather unrealistic if she was being honest with herself. If rumors were to be believed, the guy already had an army of girls back in Japan trying to do the exact same thing.

Rogue blinked, frowning curiously. "Hey, is that Ranma at the Brotherhood's table?"

"What?" Risty blinked, glancing towards them. Sure enough, it was Ranma hanging with Toad and Fred. She raised an eyebrow at that. She didn't see Lance or Pietro immediately, but a quick scan of the nearby area let her catch sight of the Avalanche's trademark brown trench coat and a flash of Pietro's silver hair as they moved towards their table. "Huh. Wonder what's going on?"

-0-0-0-

Lance eyed the boy warily. What the hell was he doing here? He threw Pietro a glance, the silver-haired kid frowning dangerously as he noticed the boy as well. He couldn't help but grimace, given Peitro's habit for flying off the handle, this could end up bad. And even if the guy pissed him off with playing around with Kitty like he did, Lance wasn't quite willing to let the guy get clobbered for it. "Be cool, speedy," he snapped darkly as they approached the table.

Pietro rolled his eyes "Whatever."

"... show you some more moves." Ranma looked at Todd thoughtfully. "One trick is nice, but it usually only works once or twice before people adapt."

"Really?" Toad blinked. "Ya mean, you don't mind or anything?"

Fred snorted. "He said he'd do it, why the hell are you complaining?"

"Hey guys," Lance greeted neutrally, hands in his pockets as he slid into his seat.

"Who invited the gook?" Pietro sneered, taking a seat slightly removed from Ranma.

Toad grimaced, rubbing his hands together nervously. "Uh, you shut up!"

Lance raised an eyebrow at that; Toad standing up to Pietro? Would wonders never cease.

"Make me, dip shit!" Silver-hair taunted.

"Take it easy, Todd." Ranma waved the little guy's concern off. "I can handle this jerk."

"That so?" Pietro raised an eyebrow. There was a slight flicker of movement and a nasty crack as Ranma's head snapped back.

"What the hell, Pietro?" Lance roared, moving to deck the silver-haired bastard.

Ranma rolled his head back, smiling eerily. "That all you got, limp dick?"

Pietro raised an eyebrow, before flickering into action again. He winced then, the pigtailed bastard grabbing his speeding hand by the wrist, squeezing painfully. He tried to hit him with his free hand, but found his movements to be painfully slow, almost normal!

The pigtailed bastard idly knocked his slow punch to the side. "Not so tough without your speed, eh?"

Toad boggled at the sight of it.

Fred blinked. "Hey, what gives, Pietro? Finally run out of steam?"

Pietro winced, trying mightily to break Ranma's hold and utterly failing. "Shut, shut up! Do something, you idiots! He's breaking my wrist!"

Lance frowned. While Pietro certainly deserved to be brought down a peg or two, he'd be damned to just stand around while someone other than him did it. "Let him go," he snapped dangerously, standing up and looming over the guy threateningly.

Ranma glanced up at him with a cocky grin, shrugging slightly. "Sure." He let go.

Pietro sighed in relief, holding his aching wrist protectively. "How the-" He quickly tested his speed, watching his fingers disappear in a blur, frowning thoughtfully. "You took my powers away."

"Yep." Ranma shrugged, ignoring the stunned looks from Toad and Fred both.

Lance grimaced, sitting back down as a sudden wave of nervous apprehension bubbled to life in his gut. If he could take powers away... If he could take powers away, then they were just normal, which wasn't something he liked. He loved his powers, loved being different. If some guy could just up and take their powers away... Well, he felt very uncomfortable just being near the guy. "What do you want?"

Ranma smiled. "Well, came to check on Todd here mainly, but since everyone is here..." He eyed them all curiously before continuing, "Not sure if you lot know this, but Xavier hired me to teach his kids how to fight."

Toad winced. "Oh man!"

Pietro frowned. "Yeah, and?"

"And," Ranma chuckled, "well, I've already broken them same as I just broke you, Speedy."

"You didn't break anything!" Pietro snarled. The fact that he kept his distance, protecting his hurt wrist spoke volumes to the others.

"Yeah, sure I didn't." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, now that I've broken them I'm in charge of building them back up. And that's why I'm here."

Fred blinked. "Uh, okay?"

"What do we have to do with this crap?" Lance snapped, a dangerous look to his eyes.

"You are their rivals, aren't you?" The boy moved to clarify.

Lance wanted to roll his eyes at that. Rivals? That was a bit of a stretch, but... He guessed you could call their hate/hate relationship that. "I guess."

"Good!" Ranma grinned. "See, I can train them to fight. Throw punches, kicks, all that jazz, but the real learning comes from actually fighting people. Forces you to observe and adapt on the fly, which is what fighting is all about."

"Okay," Toad spoke slowly, "like, why are you telling us this?"

"Simply put, I need you to fight them." Ranma shrugged. "But not yet. If they've been beating the lot of you up for awhile now, just attacking them won't help anyone. What I'm saying here is I'd like to train you up so you can in turn train my kids, and vice-versa."

Lance blinked. "Wait, wait. You want to teach us to beat up Xavier's kids?"

"That, uh..." Pietro grinned nastily. "I like the idea."

Fred snorted. "You like anything that makes the X-freaks squirm!"

"I deny nothing!" The silver-haired guy shrugged.

Toad glanced around nervously. "Uh, I don't think Mystique..."

"We'll need to think about it," Lance finally said.

Ranma nodded, smiling as he stood up. "Cool. Let me know what your answer is. Oh, one more thing." He looked at them all pointedly. "If any of you tell Xavier's group about this, consider my offer gone." He waved, moving off.

"Okay, that was... weird," Lance said after awhile.

Pietro shrugged slightly. "Whatever. I say if he wants to teach us to beat up the X-freaks, why the hell not?"

Fred shrugged. "I don't see why we should bother."

"Hey," Toad meekly defended, "the guy is good, 'kay? If he can teach someone like me to beat up someone like Duncan in less than an hour, just think what he could do if he put time into training all of us."

Lance sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever. We'll shoot it by Mystique, see if she gives a damn."

-0-0-0-

School ended on an all around good note, Ranma decided finally. He'd pitched his offer to the Brotherhood, watched Todd use some of that new confidence he'd earned by beating up Duncan, and all around he felt relaxed. Heck, he hadn't even had to deal with turning into a girl yet, which was a win no matter how you looked at it.

"Ohhh!" Kitty pouted, pinching his side gently. "How could you have lunch with out me? I looked everywhere for you!"

He blinked, eying the little girl latched to his arm. "Oh? You wanted to have lunch again?" He frowned thoughtfully. "I, uh, thought that was a one time thing."

"Well it wasn't!" she informed matter-of-factly.

"Okay, okay." He sighed. "I'm sorry. If I had known you still wanted to have lunch with me I would've made damn sure I was there."

Kitty smiled brightly. "Apology accepted," she said as they entered the mansion. Her nose crinkled slightly at the rather oppressive smell of cinnamon about the place. "Ugh!"

Ranma chuckled lightly. "Looks like Ororo's still on her cinnamon roll kick." He started for the kitchen, blinking curiously as Kitty detached herself and moved far away. "Kitty?"

"Uh, sorry, but, like, Danger Room session. Can't be late. Ah, bye!" she squeaked out, phasing through the floor.

"Okay." He just shook his head at that. Really, it was like the girl was afraid. He moved to the kitchen, glancing around curiously as he entered.

Ororo was there, humming lightly as she stirred something in a bowl. Xavier was nearby, his face smeared in places with cinnamon and... was he wearing a bib? Ranma chuckled at that. Yeah, in a grotesque way the bald man looked like a giant baby being fed their meal.

Xavier's eyes flashed open then, slightly unfocused and hazy. "Guh. Help... help me," he moaned in desperation.

Ranma raised an eyebrow at that. "Wow, Ororo, you've, uh, been working real hard, haven't you?"

"Creating the perfect cinnamon roll requires patience, diligence, and fortitude," the Nubian woman said with a smile.

"I'll bet," Ranma grunted. "So, when did you want me?"

Ororo blinked, glancing at the boy curiously. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Didn't you say you'd be 'kidnapping' me for something educational on Tuesdays and Thursdays?"

Eyes gleaming, Xavier grinned darkly. "Yes, yes she did. Ranma!" He stared at the boy pointedly. "Your lesson begins immediately. Now quick, unlock my chair so I can get the fu- uh, get downstairs for a Danger Room session."

Ororo frowned darkly, glaring at the bald man. "Are... you trying to leave? Before perfection!"

Xavier sweated, mumbling incoherent apologies and crying pitifully at the same time.

Ranma pursed his lips thoughtfully. Part of him toyed with the idea of rabbiting, but another part of him just couldn't get Xavier's horror-etched look out of his head. He sighed, shaking his head. "It's a switch up, Ororo," he said as he moved behind the crippled man's chair and started fiddling with the locks. "Boss here has work to do, but don't worry," he smiled lightly, "I'll take his place."

"Yes!" Xavier nodded frantically. "Ranma will take my place, so..." He felt his chair shift slightly as the locks disengaged, and wasted no time in bolting from the kitchen lightning fast.

Ororo stared at him thoughtfully. "You... want to help me?" she sounded doubtful, but at the same time hopeful.

"Sure do," he said with a grin, stepping up to her and grabbing the bowl she'd been stirring. "Here, let me do this. You can start rolling the dough and sprinkling the cinnamon."

"Ah." Ororo blushed, nodding slowly. "Sure. Thanks."

-0-0-0-

Jean sighed, tossing her bag to the side. Cheerleading practice had gone well enough, she guessed. She made a mental note to pull Taryn aside and speak with her. Her insistence on using pom-poms that somehow contained sharp weaponry couldn't be allowed. She briefly thought of Duncan, wondering about her absent boyfriend. Was he sick? Or was he really hurt after Toad had knocked him around yesterday? Hmmm.

"Hey, Jean." Scott tentatively stepped up to her, looking for all the world like a timid little puppy that had just got kicked. "We, uh, have a Danger Room session."

Jean nodded. "I'll be there, Summers." She pointedly walked around the boy, heading for the kitchen. She quickly found herself held in place, Scott grabbing her shoulder. "What?"

"Don't go in there." The boy grimaced. "Ororo's still on her cinnamon roll thing. Unless you want to end up her guinea pig again, don't go in there."

The redhead grimaced. She most certainly did not want to end up under Storm's care again. She was about to turn around when a thought hit her. "Who's her current victim?"

Scott smiled slightly, pushing his glasses up as he responded rather nastily, "Ranma."

"I... see." Jean frowned, crossing her arms. She really, really didn't want to get stuck with Storm again, but at the same time she couldn't justify leaving him there. His words came back to her then, 'Don't you worry none. I won't leave you behind', and she knew she had made her decision. "I don't believe I'll make it to the Danger Room session after all."

Scott blinked. "What?"

"I'm going to be with Ranma," she said, turning on her heel and confidently striding into the kitchen.

-0-0-0-

Ranma busied himself forming the rolls, setting them spread out in exact measures on the pan. Truth be told, he had been dreading this 'special' time he was slated to have with the Nubian woman. Especially after yesterday's bit of crazy, and then this morning. Yet, well, he could think of doing worse things than helping the woman create the perfect cinnamon roll. Oh, he could think of far better things to do, like sleeping, but if this was the extent of her educational lessons he figured he was getting off lightly.

Ororo hmmed, blowing on a fresh batch of rolls, steam rising off them lightly. "Ready to test this batch?"

Ranma idly noticed Jean stepping into the kitchen, a seriousness to her posture and eyes that gave him slight pause. Was she crazy? Showing up here was just asking to be conscripted into the cause. Ah, well, whatever her reasons she'd have to deal with the consequences, he guessed. He grabbed a roll, smelling it tentatively. "Smells good," he mumbled, before taking a bite. Slowly chewing, he savored the roll before he frowned slightly. "Next batch let's add a bit more butter."

"DAMN IT!" Ororo picked up the pan, only to find Ranma pushing it back down.

"Ororo," Ranma began seriously, "perfection is about patience, right?"

The Nubian woman grimaced. "I know that."

"Then be patient." He said, picking up a roll and offering it to her. "Try a roll, see if you can figure out what's missing."

Jean raised an eyebrow at that. "Ah, hi?" She waved timidly, stepping up to the island counter

Ororo hmmed, nibbling the tiny pastry. She cracked a wide smile then, eagerly scarfing the little roll down.

The pigtailed boy threw the redhead a glance while Ororo was distracted. "Hey, Jean."

"Can I... try one?" the girl asked softly, taking a seat.

"You want to help?" Ororo blinked, before smiling brightly. "Ooh! With two helpers we'll get this done twice as fast!"

Ranma eyed the redhead curiously. "Uh, you sure about this Jean? You could be stuck here for hours." He thought she had had enough of Storm's tender loving care this morning, yet here she was back for more? A glutton for punishment, he guessed.

Jean nodded with a tight smile. "I won't leave you two to figure this out on your own."

-0-0-0-

Xavier only idly paid attention to the kids in the Danger Room. Quite frankly, he had far more important things on his mind, namely Ororo and what he was going to do about the woman. It was one thing to harass Logan, another thing entirely to make him wear a damn bib as she force-fed him cinnamon rolls. He idly debated about melting her brain, just a good old-fashioned wipe-out to clear whatever insanity plagued her, but such dark thoughts were quickly buried, nuked, and brushed under the rug. For now.

"This has to end." Logan intoned darkly. He wasn't paying the kids in the Danger Room any attention at all.

"Agreed," Professor X nearly snarled, looking at the man darkly. "Take care of her, Logan."

"When I'm done with her," he chuckled darkly, claws popping out, "she'll never force-feed me another glass of lemonade ever again!"

"To hell with her lemonade!" the bald man snapped, slamming his fist against his armrest. "Cinnamon rolls! They are the enemy!"

"You're such a baby." Logan snorted, ignoring the hell-fire daggers the man glared at him. No, Xavier did not appreciate being linked to the picture of a baby because he had been forced to wear a bib!

"Just get it done!" the professor snapped.

-0-0-0-

Jean casually leaned against Ranma for a moment, dragging the boy out of his thoughts as the two waited for the latest batch to be done. Ororo had seemed pleased at first that the boy was helping her, but quickly found herself with little to do and thus insisted she resume the cooking all by her lonesome.

Ranma glanced at the girl. "Hm?"

"I... just want to apologize," Jean said softly, running her hand through her hair.

The pigtailed boy blinked. "Sorry? What for?" He seemed confused.

"For hating you," the girl said simply.

"You... hated me?" The boy frowned. "Why?"

"Well, you did kick me in the face," Jean drawled slightly, "and punched me out a second story window!"

The boy grunted. "Couldn't really take a chance with you," he admitted with some hesitance.

"Oh?" Jean frowned slightly. "Why do you say that?"

"Well." The boy half-smiled, turning his gaze back to the Nubian woman busy preparing yet another pan of cinnamon rolls. "The others weren't any kind of danger to me. I knew after that first fight I was going to have to target you first. Without you, the team just wouldn't work."

The redhead blinked at that, a demure blush coming to her cheeks. "Ah. I don't think-" She took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't think you're being fair to the others."

Ranma snorted. "Why so humble?"

"It's not a matter of being humble," Jean pointed out. "I'm just not as strong as you think." She leaned up on the counter, putting her head down as she crossed her arms. "Scott leads. He has the charisma and everyone's loyalty. He inspires them, pushes them to their limits. Me? They think I'm a nuisance, or some goody two shoes there to nag them." She grimaced slightly. "If it wasn't for Scott constantly siding with me, I'm pretty sure the others wouldn't even listen to me."

"What makes you think that?" Ranma frowned thoughtfully.

"I'm a telepath, Ranma," she said simply. "I try not to read their thoughts, but sometimes I can't avoid it. Evan, Kitty, Kurt, especially Rogue... They get really irritated with me. Scott, well..." She shrugged. "Him aside, yesterday just really hammered home the fact they don't like me much."

"Eh." He shrugged slightly. "Sounds rough."

"It is." She closed her eyes, sighing tiredly.

"Maybe you shouldn't bother?" the boy said after a time.

"Bother with what, exactly?" Jean frowned, not opening her eyes.

"Bother giving a damn what the others think," Ranma said simply. "Why does it matter what they think anyway?"

She sighed, leaning back up. "It doesn't, but I'm too scared to stop."

Ranma raised an eyebrow at that one.

"It's..." She bit her lip thoughtfully, eying Ororo as she began sprinkling cinnamon over the prepared rolls. "You build this illusion about the world in your head? You want to fit in with that illusion, but in order to do that you have to force yourself to act a certain way." She glanced at him. "I'm the popular girl, kind, selfless, maybe a little arrogant, but it's all a lie. I'm really just an idiot too stupid to change her ways, too cowardly to face the truth of it."

"Eh." Ranma looked utterly confused, but he did ask, "If, uh, you're a coward, why tell me this?"

"Because I barely know you," Jean pointed out simply, "and because you barely know me."

"And... so I won't care?" He raised an eyebrow at that thoughtfully.

"Exactly." Jean nodded. "If I told Scott this, he'd make assumptions. If I tried to talk to Evan, Kurt, or Kitty about it they'd run away. None of them like to face uncomfortable topics. Rogue, well..." she sighed. "She's like me, really. The difference is she accepts the fact that people look at her negatively, even if she yearns for the positive. I accept the fact I'm seen positively, even as I yearn for the truth."

"Okay." Ranma nodded. "Seems simple enough."

"Oh really?" the redhead drawled.

"Yep." He shrugged. "Just stop trying."

"It's not as simple as-"

Ranma cut her off with a piercing stare. "Sure it is. Aren't you guys all about getting the world to accept you for who you are, be damned your mutation?" He snorted. "Acceptance based on lies isn't acceptance. If you have to act just to keep friends, then they aren't your friends to begin with."

Jean frowned. "That's a bit idealistic, isn't it?"

"Doesn't negate the point." He shrugged. "I don't go around trying to be something I'm not. Either accept it, which is cool, or don't, then I don't care."

Jean mulled that over. Was it so simple? Just accept it or get out of my way? Truthfully, it was a rather extreme way to consider the issue, but was that really so bad? "Does... that actually work for you though?"

"Sure." Ranma smiled slightly at that. "I've got plenty of friends. I've also got plenty of rivals, even an enemy or ten. Have to accept the good with the bad. But at least I don't worry about what most people think about me."

"I see." The redhead sighed, shaking her head tiredly. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

"Start with what pisses you off the most." Ranma shrugged. "Something that always upsets you when you run into it, then work your way from there." He hesitated a second, before gently squeezing the girl's shoulder. "And hey, if it gets too hard, you can always come back and tell me about it."

"Thanks." Jean shook her head in amusement. "It's nice to know I can count on you to help demolish my life."

"What are friends for?" Ranma asked rather seriously.

Jean just laughed.

-0-0-0-

Logan glanced into the kitchen, frowning at the sight of it all.

Jean was smiling widely, idly leaning into Ranma as they talked about something. What, he didn't know, nor did he actually care. They were irrelevant, and thus he quickly ignored them. He spied his nemesis, the Nubian woman who had tortured him for hours yesterday with lemonade. She had her back turned toward him, busy making more rolls. He kept her in his sight even as he looked for his real target.

There! Near the stove. A book with a white and green splattered cover, held open by a wooden spatula set in the middle. That damn little recipe book held hours of ruthless experimentation, it was the source of Storm's power and thus it had to be utterly annihilated. He tip-toed into the room, putting one finger to his lips as Jean and Ranma raised an eyebrow at him curiously. He wasn't concerned about them ratting him out. They had to be suffering as much now as he had yesterday under Storm's supervision. He quietly reached for the book, inching closer and utilizing every ounce of skill in ninjutsu he possessed.

"Uh, Ororo. Logan's trying to steal your recipe book," Ranma ratted him out.

"Fool me once," Ororo began, idly glaring at the boy.

"YOU TRAITOR!" Logan screamed, snatching the book and making a dive for the dining room.

-0-0-0-

Storm froze, whipping around with lightning dancing across her form. He dared. He dared to steal the culmination of all her sweat and tears? She wouldn't stand for this! He would burn in righteous hell fire for this transgression! "FRY, YOU THIEF!" she screamed as she lunged towards the man.

"Holy crap!" she heard Ranma shout, but paid him little mind as she neared the man. So close, she could taste the man's fear. So near, she could feel his rapidly beating heart. She reached out, ready to pump the thief with lightning until he learned she was not to be crossed!

Ranma suddenly grabbed her from behind, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist as he lifted her up slightly. The fool would dare help the thief? He would burn too, then! He would die, they would all pay for their betrayal!

That was when he touched her, pressing one hand to her cheek. All at once, glorious, glorious release. The pain she had felt for the last two days utterly vanished, that same pain that had robbed her of the ability to sleep. The pain she could only ignore if she obsessively focused on something ridiculous like lemonade or cinnamon rolls. It was a release, a beautiful, glorious release of such pleasure she could only describe as...

Perfection.

-0-0-0-

Ranma blinked when the white-haired woman started gasping, moaning, and convulsing almost as soon as he touched her. "What the hell?"

Jean boggled, tapping her power as she scanned the woman. She quickly, ruthlessly cut her power off, blushing madly as she stared at the woman with wide eyes. "I. Oh my god!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Logan snarled, glaring at the woman angrily.

Ororo's eyes were fluttering rapidly, the creepiest smile anyone had ever seen spread across her features. She convulsed for a good twenty seconds before finally stilling, unconscious at last.

The pigtailed boy glanced at Jean. "Uh, seeing as you're all red in the face, do I even want to know?"

"No, no you do not!" Jean stepped up to the unconscious woman, pressing one hand against he forehead. "We need to get her down to Hank." She glanced to Logan, frowning. "Tell Xavier, I think she's really sick."

Logan grunted, running off.

"Well," Ranma sighed, lifting the woman up bridal style, "at least we're done with cinnamon rolls."

-0-0-0-

Hank raised one of her eyelids, flashing a light across her eye with a frown. "Medically, I can't find anything wrong. Perhaps exhaustion, but no cause for it." The blue ape glanced at the professor. "Quite frankly, I don't know what's causing her to act like this."

Xavier nodded slowly. "I've scanned her recent memories. She's been experiencing... I'm not sure how to describe it exactly." He frowned a bit. "Ants. Something like ants crawling over every inch of her body. She found relief by focusing all her thoughts and energy towards a goal. This feeling also made it impossible for her to sleep."

Jean frowned, idly running a cloth across Storm's forehead. "Why didn't she tell someone?"

"She thought it would go away at first," Xavier said. "It was a slow thing. She wasn't truly aware of it until she had already focused on creating the perfect lemonade."

"Huh." Ranma frowned, rubbing the back of his head thoughtfully. "Kinda like a poison then? She wasn't aware it was anything to worry about when BAM!" he clapped his hands together, "It was too late to do anything but endure it."

"I suppose." Xavier frowned. "I've viewed her memories of yesterday, the pain and focus was constant except for a brief window." He glanced at Jean. "When you said 'Too much sugar' she tossed the tray, and while she was walking out she, uh, felt immense relief."

Jean blinked. "Okay."

"What does her throwing lemonade around have to do with her problem though?" Logan grimaced. "She was tossing enough lemonade around in the kitchen, and didn't look none too relieved then."

"I wonder." Xavier tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What was different from that time to this time? What happened after she threw the lemonade?"

Jean looked at Ranma thoughtfully. "The... Well, that was when your curse was activated."

Xavier and Logan blinked, turning their gaze to the boy.

"What?" Ranma nervously defended. "I don't see how my curse has anything to do with this!"

"Wait." Jean frowned. "If she was finally able to pass out after Ranma touched her, cancelling her mutation, wouldn't that mean her mutation is involved? If so, I don't think Ranma changing genders is going to affect that. I mean, why would it?"

Logan frowned. "So we're thinkin' her mutation is somehow at fault?"

"It makes sense," Jean pointed out, still frowning.

"Eh." The pigtailed boy frowned thoughtfully. "Y'know, I never asked, but what is Ororo's mutation anyway? I know she can generate lightning and stuff, but is that it?"

Xavier shook his head tiredly. "No. She's a weather witch, Ranma. She's harmonized with nature, enough so that she can summon or banish storms, create tornadoes or even hurricanes."

"So." Ranma nervously tugged on his collar. "Uh, she could stop, say, random rainfall from appearing for no damn reason?"

"I would imagine there would be a reason for something like that," Xavier drawled, but nodded none the less, "but I suppose she could."

Ranma nodded. "Ah." he glanced at the woman thoughtfully. His eyes suddenly glowed blue, gazing up and down the length of the woman before looking down at his own aura. While still looking at his aura, he reached out and touched the unconscious Ororo. "Well, ain't this some crap." He grimaced.

"You found something?" Jean raised an eyebrow at the whole glowing eyes bit.

Ranma let go of the woman, then touched her again, and repeated that process several times before nodding. "Uh, it looks like my aura is attacking her."

Xavier blinked. "What?"

"Every time I remove my hand it's like the outer edge of my aura starts lashing out. At what, I dunno, it vanishes a inch or two from my body," Ranma explained. "When I touch her, it, uh, returns to normal." He frowned, touching Logan, then Xavier, then back to Storm to verify. "My aura stays the same when I touch you two, and if I look hard enough I can see these wavy indentions at the edge of her aura that vanishes once I touch her."

"Why the devil would it do that?" Hank piped in, staring at the boy curiously.

Ranma sighed. "Never knew if it was a fact or not, mind ya, but we kinda always assumed Jusenkyo curses had a... water magnet portion to it." He glanced at Xavier pointedly. "The kind of water magnet portion that makes rain spontaneously fall even on a clear day."

"Are, are you saying..." Jean breathed incredulously

"Yep!" Ranma winced slightly. "At least this time, it's all my fault." Wherever he was, he hoped Ryoga was laughing his ass off.

-0-0-0-

TBC

Note on Foreshadowing: Generally, the more 'specific' it is, the less you should absolutely trust it. It is only 'specifically' true from a certain perspective, but lacks explanations as to why it's seen that way.

Note on Dialogue: Dialogue is a funny thing; It's based entirely on the perception of the person speaking it. Just because so and so says this, even if from his perspective he believes it's true, doesn't make it so.


	6. Chapter 6

Void

Written By: Matdeception

Rough Draft Started: 8/17/11

Rough Draft Finished: 8/30/11

Revision Started: 9/9/11

Revision Finished: 9/14/11

Disclaimer: Screw disclaiming; Mouse owns everything anyway.

Credits: PCHeintz72; Spell checking. Foesjoe; General nitpicking and helpful advice. TFF; Complete assholes. I love me.

-0-0-0-

Mascara blinked, the aging Amazon elder rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Huh." she frowned, something at the edge of her thoughts trying to make itself known. Whatever could this most uncomfortable sensation be, she wondered? "Balm, could you run to Cologne and tell her to come see me?"

Balm, a middle-aged Amazon soon to finish her apprenticeship under the venerable Mascara, frowned at the Ancient elder's request. "Ah, Honored-Elder, Elder Cologne has been in Japan for many months."

"Really?" Mascara frowned, "Whatever for?"

"Husband-retrieval I believe." Balm shrugged, adding more herbs to the bubble stew, "The young man who defeated Saffron happens to be the same boy Shampoo is married too."

"Huh." Mascara frowned. She tried to drudge up memories of Cologne leaving, of Shampoo getting married, and of anyone actually beating the Phoenix King. "Oh, well, I suppose senility is finally setting in."

'Finally?' Balm mouthed to herself.

-0-0-0-

Chapter 6

-0-0-0-

The sharp sound of a door closing was like lightning to her senses. She came awake with a start, her rapid beating heart thundering in her ears as she gasped for breath. Blearily looking around at the sterile grey roof and sparse bedding she laid upon, confusion began marring her mind. Why was she here of all places? Did something... oh by the spirits she could clearly remember Logan's groveling, she could remember Xavier's cinnamon streaked face as she force fed him rolls. Ororo couldn't help but blush at the happy ending to all that insanity, and dearly hoped they would give her time to explain herself before making assumptions.

"Awake?" Hank said, the blue furred ape-man stepped up to her, glancing at several instrument panels displaying various images she didn't quite comprehend. "Twenty-seven seconds after contact ended." he hmmed to himself, jotting that down on a clipboard.

Ororo pulled the sheets of the bed up, shielding her blushing cheeks from the man. "Ah, yes. I'm awake."

"Good, good." he distractedly replied at first, inspecting the beeping machines. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." the Nubian woman hesitantly answered.

Hank nodded, looking at her finally. He smiled slightly, "No pain? Any itching, anything out of place?"

Ororo shook her head at first, before frowning. "How do you know about that?"

"Xavier." Hank offered, "After Ranma was forced to stop your obsessive cinnamon roll focus, and given your lemonade focus the day prior, we were all concerned."

She felt herself shrinking inwardly at being reminded just how unhinged she had been of late. "I see." she wondered if the man would mind if she covered her entire head in the sheet? She wanted nothing more then to hide after recent events. She sighed slightly, "No pain, but a slight pressure, yes."

"I see." the mutant-doctor wrote something down on his little notepad. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to monitor this feeling closely. As it increases try and determine the rate of expansion and..."

"Hank." Ororo interrupted tiredly, "What's happening? Have you managed to figure anything out?"

"Well," Hank shrugged, "we're operating under theory-craft ourselves. Ranma seems to believe his curse is responsible for your problems, and while I'm hesitant to agree with him it certainly is a path worth investigating."

"Curse?" Ororo frowned.

"Ah." The blue-ape chuckled, "Yes, funny story, that. Apparently young Ranma is cursed to turn into a girl with cold water, with hot water reversing the transformation."

Ororo blinked, "Surely you're joking."

"No, I am not." he shrugged, "He believes this curse also forces a change in the weather, changes you were subconsciously negating through your own mutation. His 'aura', as he describes it, was attacking you. Likely applying more pressure to effect the changes in order to get around your own knee jerk reaction in stopping it. If his theory is correct, at any rate."

The Nubian woman nodded slowly. Ranma had a curse? At first she thought he meant his mutation, it was a sad truth several of the more desperate sorts would view it as such and not for what it was; Evolution. Changing genders isn't unheard for mutations either, Mystique coming to mind, but a trigger based on the varied degrees of water? She frowned internally then, as a certain fact made itself apparent now that she could take the time to think. The first fact was that she could think, in the past two days she had found thoughts of anything but her goal almost painful to endure, yet now it was mostly fine. She smiled serenely then, "At the very least you've discovered a means to regress the issue?"

Hank blinked, then shrugged, "Not entirely sure if you finally sleeping caused your problem to regress, but I doubt it. Even while unconscious young Ranma said his aura was still attacking you."

"If not sleep, then what?" she asked curiously.

"Ranma." Hank turned back to the screens, "After your... release," she could swear he was blushing beneath that blue fur of his. "he felt it best to remain by your side all night, maintaining skin to skin contact and cutting off your mutation from his aura so at the very least you could recover from your exhaustion."

Ororo nodded, accepting his explanation. "I see." she looked at the bedside clock, frowning. She pulled the sheet off, "I have to get up, bath, change and hurry to make the children's breakfast." she moved to get up.

The Beast pushed her back down, "No."

She stared at the man, eyebrow raised.

"Ranma has offered to cook this morning, given he fully believes your problem is his fault. That means you, my patient, are to remain relaxed and under my supervision until such time as we can figure this problem out."

Ororo nodded slowly. Well, that was a load off her mind. She inwardly decided it was perhaps for the best given her recent actions, not to mention the rather embarrassing... "I need a shower, now."

Hank raised an eyebrow at the woman, especially noticing the scarlet blush touching her cheeks. "Ah, yes. Of course." he nervously put out.

-0-0-0-

Scott pressed up against the wall, throwing hand-signs to the rest of the team as they neared their target. Even from here he could smell the tantalizing foodstuff, feel his mouth watering at the promise of so much sustenance. He wouldn't admit it, but Storm going insane meant he mostly starved the last few days, subsiding on the crap food from School and what snacks he managed to get with his pitiful allowance. He made a mental note to get canned food and a can-opener, stuff it in his room, and prepare more thoroughly for the next Storm inspired apocalypse. Maybe all those zombie survivalists had a point with their strange preparations. Even if Zombies didn't suddenly jump out of the ground, their preparations could be used towards other, much more likely disasters. Unless they found a mutant who could reanimate the dead, at any rate.

Kurt looked at them all curiously, raised eyebrow with a wiry grin across his lips.

Damn Zombie Survivalist!

"Prepare to breach." Scott whispered harshly, glancing towards Evan. "Bone walls surrounding her the moment we see her." he threw Rogue a glance, the little goth practically drooling in her ravenous hunger. "Worst case scenario, drain her dry."

Rogue nodded, a seriousness to the girl that Scott found rather cute. "Ah want eggs."

"Beautiful fluffy eggs." Evan murmured in tandem, "Buttery too, if we're lucky."

Kitty leaned back, phased head reappearing from the wall. She had a curious look on her face, "Like, huh? Storm isn't there."

Rogue took a tentative whiff, smelling the oh-so-delicious scents on the air that could only mean Storm was cooking before lunging at the girl, "She's ah pod-person!"

"Eep!" The Shadowcat eeped! Jumping back and only barely dodging the girls hands.

Kurt chuckled, "Okay, I know Storm has been freaking us out, but this is worth it."

"What are you doing?" Jean spoke up, slowly descending the stairs with a raised eyebrow.

"Hunting for food." Scott replied seriously, ignoring Kitty running around the living-room with Rogue hot on her heels. "Stick close, Jean. I have an exit plan if this goes wrong." he looked at her seriously, "For all of us."

The red-head frowned, "Right." she drawled, walking right past him and into the kitchen. "Morning Ranma!" her chirrup loud enough for them all to hear.

Evan blinked, hesitantly glancing into the kitchen. "Huh, it's just that jerk. Aunty isn't here."

"Thank the heavens!" Logan grunted, pulling a sheet off his head and stepping out from behind a large plant nearby.

"What?" Scott blinked, "How the hell did we not notice you?"

"Not my problem you kids couldn't find your way out of a paper bag!" The feral-like man snapped, heading into the kitchen.

-0-0-0-

Ranma stretched, feeling the kinks in his back groan a bit from the movement. Sleeping in a chair all night while holding Ororo's hand hadn't been the most comfortable of ways to rest, but he had to deal with worse. Mentally he chided himself, he really had no one to blame for all this but himself. Oh sure, Hank seemed dubious about it, but even the blue furry doctor had to concede it was certainly a possibility. It's why he had stayed with the Nubian woman all night, why he had gotten up early to shower and then make breakfast. Until the woman was cured of whatever was bothering her, this was the absolute least he could do to help out.

He flipped a pancake, catching a flash of red with his peripheral vision as he did so.

"Morning Ranma!" Jean chirruped as she entered.

"Morning." Ranma glanced back at the girl, waving.

"Notice anything different?" The red-head asked as she stepped up beside him, watching him curiously.

The gender-cursed martial artist blinked, looking at her. Her hair was impeccable as always, soft and vibrant on top her pretty little head. He guessed her clothes were alright, neatly pressed with nary a wrinkle in sight. He supposed it fit well on her, hugging in all the right places with out being overly provocative. Uh, not that he noticed such things. He gazed at her for a few moments longer before it finally hit him. "No make-up?"

Jean smiled at that, "Took you awhile, didn't it?"

"Eh." he shrugged, "Honestly I think you look better with out it."

"Do you, now?" the girl grinned slightly.

"Yep." the boy affirmed, flipping a pancake. "Anything special you want for breakfast?"

The girl hmmed, glancing over at the prepared food resting on the counter island. "I can't think of anything." she said as she grabbed a plate.

Logan walked in, with Scott, Evan, and Kurt not far behind. The feral-like man took a seat at the counter, a fierce look in his eyes as he glared at the pigtailed boy. "Feed me."

Ranma snorted even as Kurt sarcastically replied "Feed me, Seymour! Feed me!"

"Shut it brat." Logan snapped.

Evan frowned. "Where's my aunt?"

"Down stairs with Hank." Ranma informed with a shrug, "Resting last I checked."

"Is she si..." Evan tapered off, realizing how stupid that question was. "Okay, is she getting better?"

"We can only hope." Logan spoke darkly, "If I have to drink one more cup of lemonade I'll snap."

Scott eyed the red-head as she put her plate down at the table. He quickly grabbed a small helping, moving to join the girl, enduring her blank stare as he sat down across from her. "Hey."

"Hey." her return was distant, more mechanical then any kind of welcoming tone.

Scott sighed internally, trying to wrack his brains and come up with a way to approach the girl. He wasn't blind, since Ranma's lesson there had been a divide between her and the rest of the team, a divide that only seemed to be growing the longer it existed. It didn't help matters they had abandoned her to Ororo's bit of crazy the day before, had he known she had been left behind he would have tried to rescue her. Perhaps it was hypocritical, willing to rescue Jean but not caring when he hadn't known it was her, but it was just how he felt.

"Can we talk?" Scott said carefully, watching the girl as she slowly chewed on some eggs. Jean watched him neutrally for a moment, taking far longer then necessary to chew the little morsel and swallow before speaking.

"Of course we can." she said, shrugging lightly. "What's on your mind?"

"The team." Scott frowned, "I'm not going to sugar coat it, Ranma's lesson was overly harsh, damn near masochistic, but after taking time to really think about it I have to say it's what we needed."

Jean watched him, idly eating a bit as she listened.

"But now there's this divide between us. Er." the boy didn't blush per-say, but it was damn close, "I mean between you and the team. I know some harsh words were said, but can't we put it behind us? Can't we get back to where we were before that lesson?"

Jean leaned on one hand, eying him for a moment, "It's possible." she allowed, "But maybe I don't want to go back to the way things were."

Scott blinked, "What?"

"Maybe I like knowing where I stand with the team." The red-head said softly, "Maybe I like knowing the others are willing to stand up and tell me off. Maybe I'd rather they keep doing that then going back to the same old 'Keep Quiet or Jean will nag you' routine we've followed for over a year."

Scott mulled those words over in his head. Had the team really been following that kind of routine? He didn't think so, personally, but Jean obviously did. Honestly he thought they were fairly open with each other, but maybe the others weren't being so honest? He was honest, at least he thought so. Well, not counting his feelings, but that really didn't have any place when it come to the missions. He sighed after a time, "If that's what you want."

"And that's what I'm talking about." Jean snorted, "For Gods sake Scott, disagree with me! And not like with Ranma's lesson, were it took the lot of us getting our butts handed to us before you could do it. Tell me I'm wrong, tell me to shut up for once!"

"Eh." The Leader of the X-men really didn't know how to respond to that. He was saved by Kitty suddenly phasing through the wall near the others at the opposite end of the kitchen.

Grabbing Ranma by his sides and putting him between herself and the door, Kitty meeped. "Like, save me!"

Ranma glanced down at the girl. "Uh, save you from what?"

"Get away from Kitty! She's ah pod-person!" Rogue charged into the room, ignoring the utter lack of Storm as she charged Ranma, or more importantly the girl hiding behind him.

Ranma stepped forward and to the side, idly sticking his leg out and tripping the goth as she ran. Rogue began to fall, arms flashing about wildly as she tried to slow or stop her descent. She found herself caught from behind, one hand around her waist as she was pulled up and held tightly against the boy's chest. She felt his hand press against her cheek, the warmth of his body an alien feeling that left her nigh uncomfortable. "Lemme go!" she whined, struggling in vain against him.

"Not until you calm down," The boy said simply, ignoring the stares the other kids were giving them. "and explain just what a pod-person is!"

Logan snorted, "Pod-person, it's some one whose had their minds and bodies copied by aliens, used to infiltrate and promote some kind of agenda."

Ranma blinked, glancing at Kitty.

The California girl sweated, backing up nervously, "Like, I'm not!"

"Obviously." The boy snorted, glancing down at the girl struggling against his hold. "Rogue, Kitty isn't an alien. She doesn't even have tentacles for God's sake!"

Rogue slowly stopped struggling, blinking, "Uh, what?"

"It's a well known fact evil aliens all have tentacles that they use to poke people." he spoke sagely, before frowning. "Or are people who want to be poked, or want their children to be poked, or..." he shrugged nervously, "... y'know what? Forget I said anything." he finished, letting the Southern Belle go, the girl staggering off and just staring at him in wide-eyed wonder.

Scott frowned, glancing at Jean. The red-head looked a little green, but that was it. Evan looked confused, Logan look irritated, Kitty and Rogue looked shocked. Kurt...

Kurt chuckled nervously, a slight blush burning through his blue fur. "Ah, you mean they aren't Shikima." he winced as all eyes turned to him, "But, you should know, uh, Shikima aren't aliens really."

Ranma scoffed, "Yeah right. It's a fact all aliens come to earth to steal our girls, or men depending on what gets em excited."

"Eh." The Nightcrawler shook his head, "That doesn't make them aliens. Shikima are sex demons, come to earth from hell to pillage the, uh," He hesitated, "land. Yeah, let's go with that." he frowned, "And I'd argue the point. Shikima don't walk around tentacles flapping everywhere all the time. If they did, how would they trick girls into dark allies or remote meadows before having their way with them?"

Ranma nodded thoughtfully, "You got a point." he stared at Kitty for a second, before turning to Rogue. "Okay, she may be a pod-person. But are you really going to risk getting poked by trying to catch her?"

"I'm scarred for life." Came the chorus from everyone else.

-0-0-0-

She had a plan, even it she knew it would be little more then a stop-gap, but she had to do it. The way things were going Bayville would be little more then a smoking crater once the Great Enemies arrived. Taryn could already see the tornadoes flying, the blasts of energy rocketing, homes brought down with an errant twitch of the super powered psychotics that would flood this plain boring town. The best she could hope for was to limit the damage, scare off anyone that would unknowingly cause the ire of the Destroyers by being in a situation they could construe as 'perverted'

The slightly insane girl eyed the crates, examined the pulley system she had set up, and nodded in satisfaction. Everything was set, all she needed was the appropriate lynch-pin to complete the trap and draw the Walking Disaster into it. Then, yes, then she would show them all! If everything went right that pigtailed menace would soon find himself ostracized by everyone! Taryn wasn't particularly happy about having to do it, but she'd be damned if she let that clueless bastard drag her life totally back into hell. She had to do it, for her sanity if nothing else. Well, at least until she could convince her daddy to move to Mexico, but who knew how long that was going to take?

Taryn lifted her 'weapon', idly checking to make sure the 'ammunition' was still there. Yes, yes this would be glorious!

-0-0-0-

Lance waited in-between periods, glancing up and down the halls with a frown. Mystique hadn't shown up the night prior, which honestly wasn't a surprise. Since the whole craptastic episode with Asteroid M, the shape-shifter had been pretty much missing. Oh they knew she was around, she was the one sending them the occasional check for groceries and the like, but they still hadn't been able to talk to her face to face. This left him in a bit of a predicament given Ranma's offer. Accept the training and hope Mystique would approve, or turn it down and deal with her wrath if she thought it was a good idea. Toad and Pietro were for it, Fred didn't care, and Tabitha... well, their squatting house guest hadn't even been told. As for himself, well, he didn't care either.

As Kitty dragged Ranma down the hall, once again latched to him like they were a couple, he realized why he had to accept the training. He was grasping for straws honestly, but if he was teaching them that meant he couldn't be with Kitty, a fact only enforced by his warning not to tell the X-men about it.

"Like, I think we should, y'know, make it official!" The peppy girl chirruped.

Ranma frowned, "I dunno. Sounds like a lot of commitment. I'm fine with a fling every now and then, but to just come out and say it?" he sighed, shaking his head.

"You can't, like, call it a fling!" The girl nagged, "You make it sound dirty!"

Lance just frowned.

"Meh." Ranma shrugged, glancing at Lance curiously.

"Please?" The girl pouted adorably, holding his hands tightly as she looked up at him with wide expressive eyes.

The pigtailed boy just sighed. "Fine."

"Yay!" Kitty pumped her arm in success, "New Russian Club member!"

Lance blinked. Wow, that was it? He shook that thought off, ignoring the feeling of relief he felt as he stepped up to the others. "Hey."

Kitty glanced back, smiling, "Morning Lance!"

"Sup." Ranma nodded back.

"Just wanted you to know..." Lance began, ignoring the curious look Kitty was giving him, "... we thought about it, and yeah, we'll do it."

Ranma nodded slowly, shooting the curiously confused girl a look. "Awesome. I'll see about setting it up for the weekend."

Kitty frowned as Lance grunted, turned and began walking away. What the heck was that about? Set what up for the weekend? She glanced at her kinda-sorta boyfriend, "Like, what?"

Ranma grinned disarmingly, "Nothing to worry about. We were talking about how we'd stop bullies like that Duncan creep from picking on people."

The Shadowcat blinked, "How?"

Ranma glanced around, grinning slightly. "Hold that thought, I need to talk to some one." he said walking down the hall towards Risty and Rogue.

-0-0-0-

Rogue grimaced, shoving her books into her locker and slamming it closed before they could fall out. She really needed to take some time and just go through it, at this rate she didn't think she'd be able to open in much longer before things started flying out.

"So today's another training day?" Risty leaned up against the lockers, arms crossed.

The Southern Belle nodded slowly, "Yeah, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I think."

"Cool." Risty turned to leave only to run smack dab into Ranma. She stumbled back a step, half frowning, "Hey, you can't just stand behind people like that!"

Ranma blinked, "Eh." he shrugged, "Sorry."

Rogue gave the boy a look. "Sup?"

"Not much." the boy said, eying Risty. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." the English Goth said, leaning back up against the lockers. "What's up?"

"Ah." He looked at Rogue, "I meant alone."

The Southern Belle blinked. "Eh, fine." she shrugged, walking away.

Ranma waited until she was gone before rounding on the remaining girl. "Got an assignment for you."

Risty raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?" she drawled.

"Yep. You know who the Brotherhood are?" he posed the question.

"Yes." Risty grimaced, "Rogue talks about 'em some times. Jerks mainly, but I've never had a problem with them personally."

"Good." Ranma glanced around. Wouldn't be smart to tell Risty if Jean was around, the last thing he wanted was for her to accidentally ferret out information from Risty about his training plans. "I offered to train them, y'know, since they fight our students all the time."

Risty blinked. "You... you're going to train them?"

"Sure am." the boy affirmed, "But can't do it myself just yet. So, well, I'm sending you to get them going. I'll stop by this weekend when I can get away with out the others finding out."

The English Goth frowned, "Ah. Okay, so I'll hit them up this afternoon while you're training the others at Xaviers?"

"That's right." Ranma nodded, glancing back. Kitty was still where he left her, frowning curiously at him. "Anyway, gotta go. I'll meet up with you tomorrow and we'll really give those guys a lesson."

"Okay." Risty looked thoughtful. "Are we going to tell the kids from Xavier's about training the Brotherhood?"

"Absolutely not." Ranma snorted, "Not until they're ready at any rate."

Risty smirked devilishly as Ranma walked back to Kitty. Oh this was absolutely priceless!

-0-0-0-

Kitty pouted as Ranma walked into his class. She was oh so curious about what Lance had said, but try as she might she couldn't ferret the truth out of her sort-of boyfriend. Well, she wouldn't let something like that stop her! She'd figure out what was going on or her name wasn't Katherine Pryde! Lance, yes, she could pressure him into telling her the truth! Sure, it might take a little pout, maybe even some tears but she knew the guy would break down in the end! The plan was fool proof! She blinked then as the final bell rang, realizing fearfully that she was oh so terribly late to class now!

Shadowcat felt some one tap her shoulder. Glancing back, Kitty blinked as she got smacked in the face with a cloud of dust. She staggered a bit, ready to let loose with a vicious barb when a fierce wave of vertigo slammed down on her senses. Kitty only blearily realized some one had grabbed her, but no more then that as consciousness fled her in full.

-0-0-0-

Ranma eyed the clock hanging on the wall with a slight frown. Lunch began nearly ten minutes ago, yet Kitty was no where in sight. For a moment he pondered the possibility the girl had forgotten, but he doubted it. She had nagged him for skipping out on lunch the day before, and seemed pretty insistent on sharing it with him again. That begged the question of just where that peppy girl was?

"Hey Ranma." Scott stepped up to him, a rather serious look about him. He pressed the bridge of his eye-wear, pushing his glasses up slightly as he spoke. "Have you seen Kitty? She never showed up for Algebra."

"Eh? That's weird." As long as the pigtailed boy had known the girl, granted it hadn't even been three full days yet but still, she was damn serious about her school work. "Last I saw her she dropped me off for class. We were suppose to eat lunch together, but she still hasn't shown up."

Scott nodded, "Alright. If you do see her, could you ask her to find me? Just so I know she's okay."

"You got it." Ranma grinned, "Take your job seriously, eh?"

"Job?" Scott blinked. "She's my friend, Ranma. I take friendship seriously."

"Do you?" the pigtailed boy frowned thoughtfully. "Whatever. I'm going to go track Kitty down, see you around."

-0-0-0-

Kitty blearily opened her eyes. Her head felt weird, like she had been holding her breath until she was blue in the face. There was a pressure in her head, not quite a headache but absolutely uncomfortable. She looked around, immediately spotting the brown-haired Taryn sitting on a small crate, the older girl gazing at her intently. Kitty struggled a bit, finding her arms tied tightly behind her back, with a gag stuffed in her mouth to keep her from speaking. She hung upside down by her ankles, which were tied to a rope which was then tied to an overhanging pole sticking out of the roof.

"MMfh!" Kitty snarled angrily. She could get out of this, her mutation would make escape pathetically easy, but she didn't dare risk revealing her ability to the girl.

"I'm sure you're asking 'Why me?'" Taryn spoke seriously, even as she idly patted a super-soaker watergun. There was a brownish liquid in the toy's water supply bottle. Not water, or at least not clean water as far as the California girl could figure out. Now that she was paying strict attention to the girl Kitty noticed these oval containers with similar colored liquid strapped to the girls belt, they looked strangely enough like grenades of some kind. "Simply put, Pryde, you're getting too close to Ranma. I can't let you or any other girl get their claws in him, not if we want Bayville to survive the year."

Kitty rolled her eyes.

Taryn looked disgusted, "No! I'm not trying to take the boy for myself! I'm not about to risk my health, body, or sanity trying to date that nightmare! Especially not with the Fiancee brigade on the loose!"

Kitty shot her a curious stare.

"What, you don't know?" Taryn snorted. Figures, it really did. Oh she never expected Ranma to tell people about it, he didn't accept it himself as far as she knew, he just endured it. "Fiancee Brigade, a group of girls all out to marry his cute little ass. All of whom are super-powered bad asses capable of crushing your pretty little head like a grape." she shivered then, "And they're the good ones! With them comes the Lemmings, guys who desperately want them and blame Ranma for stealing them."

Kitty blinked, before frowning curiously.

"Eh?" Taryn shook her head, "No I can't read your mind, I'm just really good at figuring out what people want through body language." she shrugged reluctantly, "Helped back in Nerima."

Kitty tilted her head curiously.

"Enough questions!" Taryn snapped.

-0-0-0-

"Duncan." Jean smiled slightly, tapping the boy on the nose. "Are you okay? You didn't show up for school yesterday, or call me."

The Blond-haired quarterback shrugged. "Eh, mom got all overprotective when she found out about the fights. Wouldn't let me go to school, saying she was 'Scared' for her little boy." he smiled nervously, "You know how weird moms can get."

The red-head nodded slowly, before frowning. "Wait, fights? Did you get in more then the one I know about?"

"Eh." Duncan grimaced, "Yeah. Some foreign puke attacked me in the locker room. I gave as good as I got, but he knows kung-fu."

"Foreign?" Jean asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "Tell me what happened, from the beginning."

Duncan sweated internally. He knew that look, it was a look his girlfriend got when she was on the verge of entering Inquisitor mode. It was a look to be feared, especially since it usually resulted in the girl getting mad at him for one reason or another. "Eh, was there suiting up and..." Beating up Tolansky, he admitted mentally "... then that new guy shows up and starts telling me and the guys off..." Telling them to stop beating up Frog-boy and try him instead, he admitted mentally once more. "... and then he just up and beat the lot of us up for no reason." He said all that with a straight face. There, no way could Jean blame him for that, not with out being some kind of mind-reader anyway.

Jean glowered. "Duncan..." she began, only to stop as Ranma stepped up to them.

"Hey Jean." Ranma ignored Duncan outright, "Have you seen Kitty?"

Duncan glared at the little bastard, throwing a glance towards his girlfriend.

Jean shook her head, "Can't say that I have. Why?"

"Eh." Ranma frowned, "Scott says she never showed up for third period." he rubbed his forehead tiredly, "Didn't show up for lunch either, and y'know how she's been insisting on it."

"Ah." Jean glanced at Duncan for a moment, "If I see her I'll let her know you're looking for her."

"Thanks." Ranma grunted, staring at Duncan for a moment before rolling his eyes at the glare the boy was giving him. "I'm going to check around outside." he said as he walked away.

Duncan waited until the little bastard was gone before rounding on the girl, "You know that guy?"

"Yes." Jean shrugged, "Lives at the institute with us." she frowned then, "Now, about you 'defending' yourself."

He knew that look; It meant she somehow already knew the truth of things, or had seen through his lies. Damn it! Sometimes he really thought the girl could read minds. This was so unfair!

-0-0-0-

Ranma was getting irritated. Lunch was close to ending and he hadn't found hide nor hair of the girl. It was enough to fray what little patience he had; He wouldn't admit it if asked, but now he was getting concerned for the girl. He sighed, shaking his head. Well, screw it. The boss could get pissed at him for using his powers later, he was going to make sure that girl was alright be-damned the lecture he'd have to endure because of it. Tapping into his Ki, he closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. He sent an invisible pulse rocketing from his body, felt the Ki caress the contours of the school and ping those aura's he knew.

Jean was pretty much where he left her, though there was a taste of extreme irritation from her he hadn't noticed earlier. Scott, Kurt, Evan and the Brotherhood were in the cafeteria eating their lunch. Scott had a touch of growing concern about him, for Kitty if the pigtailed martial artist had to guess, which was a good sign in his book. Risty and Rogue were closer to the front entrance of the school, relaxed and generally in good moods. Kitty...

Ranma blinked, looking up. Yeah, she was up there, on the roof overlooking the Cafeteria entrance. What the devil was she doing up there? He glanced around before leaping up to the roof. Landing lightly, he frowned at what he saw. There were larges crates, many many large crates situated on the roof. Each crate covered with a tarp that had a series of ropes attached to each corner. These ropes bundled up and combined with a weird pulley system set up overhead, all ropes leading towards the center of the roof where he could just barely make out Kitty's feet held in place by the same rope connected to the pulley system. He shook his head, jumping over the crates and landing next to the strung up girl.

Kitty looked at him, immediately struggling now that some one had finally showed up.

"What the heck happened to you Kitty?" Ranma glanced at the girl, frowning as he untied her gag before turning her and investigating the knots.

"Trap! Taryn's behind..." The girl desperately tried to warn him.

"Oh ho ho ho ho!" Taryn laughed not unlike a psychotic gymnast he knew and loathed. Ranma froze, slowly turning his head to stare at the obviously insane girl. "And thus the great Saotome falls for the bait!" she crowed, pumping the over-sized super-soaker in her hands.

"What the heck Taryn?" The boy snapped in irritation, eyes narrowed dangerously as the girl pointed the toy at him.

"Isn't it obvious?" the girl rolled her eyes, "I'm here to make sure no one gets close to you. I'm going to show Kitty your little curse!"

Kitty rolled her eyes, "Like, I already know about the curse! Whoop-di-doo, change genders with, like, application of water with varied temperature."

Taryn blinked, "You... know about that? And don't care?" she asked in supreme confusion.

"Duh, like, course it was weird at first but, like, I've seen weirder things." Kitty shrugged as best she could. "Now can you please let me down?"

Ranma went about untying the girl even as Taryn frowned dangerously. Okay, she had been hoping the curse would be enough to freak anyone out, but apparently Bayville had a similar disregard for the truly outrageous as Nerima did. Still, she wasn't entirely unprepared for the eventuality. Plans within plans, Nerima had taught her the lesson of having such if you wanted to survive. "Well then." she breathed, "Guess it's on to plan B."

"Plan B?" the pigtailed boy paused, glancing at the girl nervously. "I, uh, know I'm gonna regret this, but what's plan B?"

"Eh." Taryn shrugged, "Go ahead and finish getting Kitty down, I'll explain it then."

Ranma did so, holding the girl in a bridal carriage as the last ropes were cut and she fell into his arms. The pulley system whined angrily as the ropes snapped free, and that was when the boy realized the true pain Taryn intended to inflict upon him. The tarps covering the crates fell, the cages falling open with out the tarps there to hold them shut, allowing freedom for the multitude of hell-spawned beasts sitting as pretty as you please within.

Kitty blinked as Ranma froze, the guy actually shivering in horror as he stiffened. Even with that her attention was focused primarily on the big ass tiger in one of the cages. "Like, WHAT THE HELL?" she yelled, "Where did you get a tiger!"

"Family pet." Taryn shrugged, pumping her super-soaker once more.

"That... that's not water, is it?" Ranma asked stonily, trying everything he could not to look at the little hell-spawns.

"Nope!" the insane High-schooler chirruped, "Concentrated catnip in liquid form. Isn't that great?" she grinned darkly then, "Plan B; Prove how utterly insane you are! As Bayville's first, last, and only line of defense this must be done! For the greater good!" she took aim and fired, a steady stream of smelly catnip shooting forth.

Ranma leaped high and over the stream. He landed in a dead run, carrying the surprised Kitty as he rushed to flee the feline horde of absolute destruction.

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE!" the girl crowed, rushing after the boy.

-0-0-0-

"Aw, come on Jean." Duncan followed the girl outside, "We were just horsing around! Y'know I'm never serious about that kind of thing!"

Jean snorted, "It's one thing to defend yourself, but you went out of your way, again might I add, to beat some one up. And for what? Cool points?" she crossed her arms, nearly sneering, "Newsflash Duncan. That's not cool, it just makes you a creep!"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'll even apologize to the little scuz, I promise I won't do it..." Duncan paused, blinking as the Foreign kid jumped off the roof with a girl held protectively in his arms. With out missing a beat the pigtailed prick turned and began running, a look of stony determination etched onto his features.

"What the?" Jean blinked, eying Taryn as the girl jumped off the roof, clicking her heels in mid-flight. An intense blast of air shot from her feet, breaking her fall. The girl didn't miss a beat, chasing after the guy even as she fired spurts of liquid from the super-soaker she was carrying.

"Run all you want Ranma!" Taryn crowed, "I'll never stop! I'll never surrender!"

Jean looked up at the roof as a veritable horde of felines began jumping down, each and everyone chasing after her insane best friend. What the hell was going on?

Ranma ran up to them, leaping over them just as Tayrn let loose another spray from her weapon.

Duncan grimaced, taking a shot to the face. "Ugh! What the hell?" he wiped the liquid off, ignoring the Brown-haired psycho as she ran by. He couldn't quite ignore the horde of cats pouncing him.

-0-0-0-

Scott sighed, pushing his plate away. "Damn it."

"Something wrong?" Kurt blinked, looking up from his own food.

"Just can't stop worrying about Kitty. It's not like her to skip a class like that." The leader of the X-men grumbled. Truthfully several things were bothering him, from Jean's little talk this morning to Ranma's not so subtle accusation he wasn't being the best of friends to people. Try as he might he couldn't quite see how that accusation had any merit, hadn't he been looking out for his team and friends as best he could? Barring the incident with Jean yesterday of course. Wait, was that what Ranma was getting at?

"Is weird, no?" Kurt frowned, "Maybe we should call the Professor? He'd be able to find out where she is."

"Yeah." the boy nodded. He really didn't like the idea, always turning to the Professor whenever they ran into a snag was a habit he was trying to break. But given one of his team-mates could be in trouble, he was more then willing to do it. Standing up, Scott shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to go do that now." he said, turning to walk away. "What the hell?" The boy blinked, catching sight of Ranma running for the doors leading from outside. The fact he had this dangerously determined look on his face gave Cyclops pause. He was also carrying Kitty, the girl looked absolutely dumbstruck if not the least bit scared.

Kurt leaned in his chair to see, "Huh?"

Ranma didn't even stop his run as he approached the door, jumping forward and twisting around he slammed into the glass with enough force to smash right through it. The action caught a lot of peoples attention, all staring as the boy cleared the destroyed door and ran through the cafeteria without missing a beat.

"What the hell?" Scott said again, staring dumbstruck as the boy began leaping over tables in complete disregard for Xavier's orders not to use their powers.

Taryn raced through the door, pulling two oval shaped balls free of her belt and launching them into the crowd of cafeteria students. The balls arced high were they suddenly shattered, splattering many of the teenagers with their liquid goodness but utterly missing Ranma, the boy leaping high into a sidewise flip that just barely cleared the arc of the girls grenades. "TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!" the girl screamed, jumping from table to table after the boy.

"What the hell?" Kurt said in shocked surprise as a freaking horde of cats, and a tiger, charged the breach. While the cats could be ignored, the sight of a real life tiger sent mass panic through the crowd of kids, many of whom began screaming as they cats began wading into the throng of students.

-0-0-0-

Peitro blanched, falling back and out of his chair as a freaking Tiger pounced onto the table.

Lance stared in stupefied wonder as the feline beast began stealing their lunch, scarfing the food down in it's powerful maw.

Fred frowned as the Tiger got to his food. "I don't think so."

The Tiger roared, gleaming teeth promising excruciating pain to the fat mutant if he refused to give up his food.

Blob roared back, "NO ONE STEALS MY BEEF!" He stared into the beasts eyes, ravenous animal against ravenous animal in a staring contest that could only have one victor. The tiger inevitably made a move for the food, but Fred was ready. One meaty slap across the face sent the Tiger reeling back, hissing and roaring at the boy. Fred returned the hissing with the meanest glare he could manage.

The tiger snarled twice more, before bowing it's head in submission.

"Now that's a good kitty cat." the fat mutant said, scratching the Tiger behind it's ear, utterly ignorant of the unbelieving stares the rest of the Brotherhood was giving him.

-0-0-0-

Evan grinned, "Yeah, you need to replace the wheels every now and then, y'know? Otherwise they get worn out and it takes too much work to really get going."

Doug nodded slowly. He wasn't really friends with Evan, but he was friends with Kitty so he endured the Skater for her sake if nothing else. "Huh, didn't know that, but I guess it makes sense. Just like a car, right?"

The Skater snorted, "Meh. A car can't do the same tricks I can with a board. Piss poor imitation of awesome, let me tell ya!"

Doug shrugged, "If you..." he tapered off, blinking as Kitty's new sort-of boyfriend slid into view, twisting and slamming into the lockers. He stared off at something outside Doug's line of sight, eyes widening before he suddenly jumped, kicking off the lockers just as a stream of water slammed into the area he had just been in.

Doug frowned as the boy ran off, carrying one of his best friends in his arms. "Okay, what the hell?"

Evan blinked, "I have no idea man."

Taryn slammed into Evan, knocking the Skater down as she forcibly ripped his skateboard away from him. "Confiscating this for the greater good!" she half explained, setting the board down and rapidly skating away.

Evan glared at the girl, "No one touches the board!" he snarled, pausing as the girl kicked up, jumping high enough to grind on the top of the lockers and bypass a large throng of students.

Doug whistled, "Wow. Never knew that girl could skate."

The Skater grimaced, standing up only to get knocked back down as the feline hoard rampaged over him and down the hall.

-0-0-0-

Rogue shrugged, "Don't matter to me none."

"Really?" Risty didn't look at all convinced.

The Southern Belle sighed. "It ain't like that, ahright?" Risty was seeing things when the girl really shouldn't, like this weird notion she supposedly had the hots for Ranma. Oh sure, he was nice enough and all, but that didn't mean she had fallen for him. Maybe asking for some training was a bad idea? She hadn't done it to 'impress' the guy, but rather as a means to get closer to her newest friend. That it would help her in Ranma's lessons was just a bonus. "Besides, ain't it obvious he's interested in some one else?"

"What, Kitty?" Risty snorted, "I don't think that's a relationship Ranma is even aware of."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Rogue stared at her friend, "How can he not know?" She thought Kitty was actually laying it on a bit thick, there was no way the guy could not know the girl was staking her claim.

"Just rumors my dad told me, alright?" The English goth sighed, glancing down the hall with a slight frown. "The guy isn't one for..." she paused as Ranma launched over a throng of students in the hall, flipping over and landing in a dead run. She noticed the girl in his arms, Kitty looked dazed, a sort of stunned amazement and confusion Risty had never seen on the girl before.

Rogue blinked as Taryn jumped on top of the lockers, grinding a skateboard down it's length as she fired several bursts of liquid from her super-soaker. She missed her target, nailing several students and even catching both of them in her wild firing. "You're just making this harder on everyone Ranma!" the slightly insane High-schooler snapped, "Stop running and go insane like everyone else!"

Risty grimaced, flicking her hand to dislodge some of the liquid she had been shot with. "What the hell?"

Rogue didn't get to respond as a hoard of cats mauled the throng of students, several going down in horrified screams as they were steam-rolled by the hoard of cute, fuzzy, sharp-clawed felines desperately following the chase. She felt her hackles rise as a large section of the hoard broke off and ran directly for the two of them. "Oh hell."

Risty blanched, "Run for it!" she screamed, turning and doing just that. She was a little to slow to escape as the biting, slashing claws of the feline variety swarmed her.

Rogue winced, feeling multiple stabs from the cats before they inevitable passed out and fell off her, forming a circle of drained felines around her. She glanced at the desperately struggling Risty, the English goth batting as many of the beasts away in her mad attempt to escape. The Southern Belle frowned, having the sudden urge to lick her legs bubble to the surface. She spent the next few seconds really wishing she could touch an animal and not have the sudden urge to lick people.

-0-0-0-

Principal Kelly frowned as the Security radio began blaring obscenities, frantic yells and shouts for help from the hardened people he had hired to secure the school doing much to disabuse him of just how hardened these men and women were. Really, a horde of cats? A tiger? It was ridiculous. Still, he had to go out there and find out who was causing all these problems and, God willing, expel their butts.

The man stepped out of his office, blinking at the sight of the new Foreign exchange student running by in a mad dash. Edwards made a mental note; that boy was getting detention. He stepped around the corner Saotome had just run from, blanching as a girl in a non-sanctioned school uniform barreled into him with enough force to knock both of them down in a tangle of limbs.

Edwards hit the ground with a groan as Taryn crashed on top of him. He only barely heard what sounded like shattering glass before he felt something wet hit his chest. He glanced down at the girl on top of him, frowning as she raised her head in horror. She apparently had some weird glass oval things attached to her belt, many of which were now broken and leaking a brownish liquid on the both of them. "Ms. Fujioka!" the older man snapped, but the girl did not listen.

She glanced back, her young body shivering at something she saw. "Ranma." she mewed pathetically, "This is all your fault!"

Edward was about to push the girl off him when the feline hoard descended on the both of them. As they were being mauled he managed to calculate just how many years of in-school-suspension Tayrn would be enduring for this bit of tomfoolery!

-0-0-0-

Ranma stared at the swell of emergency vehicles swarming the school, watched as so many of his peers blindly stumbled around trying to make sense of the insanity their world had become. He glanced back, eying his students thoughtfully. Scott had been mauled, several slashes across his face, while Kurt looked mostly right as rain. That might have something to do with the image inducer he wore, so chances are he was just as cut up as Scott was beneath the illusion. Evan looked like road-kill, he just knew the kid would be steaming mad and looking for a target for this injustice. Jean looked alright, if a bit wide-eyed at the sheer insanity she had witnessed. Rogue... well the girl was licking her hand before running it through her hair, so he guessed she was okay too.

"Anyway." the boy grinned, "Good lesson. I'll see you guys at home."

Kitty stared at him blankly. "Like, what?"

Jean stared at him too, "Lesson? What kind of lesson is this?"

"That cats are evil, evil creatures!" The pigtail boy explained, as if that was enough. "If there's nothing else you learn from me, learn this fact. Cats are the spawn of Hell, end of discussion." he finished and walked away.

The red-head stared at him for a moment, frowning ever so slightly. "Cats are evil, evil creatures? Where have I heard that..." she blanched, looking back towards the school as Taryn was being dragged out on a stretcher. What the hell? Was that girl a prophet? Wait, what else did she say that time?

-0-0-0-

"Oh sure, be flippant now." The Nerima escapee snorted, "But mark my words, you're going to wake up one day and realize your enemies are your friends, cats are evil, evil creatures, and even the weakest of losers are suddenly super powered bad asses out to make your life hell!"

-0-0-0-

Jean just sighed. Okay, so she called some of that. She still didn't see how she'd ever be friends with the likes of the Brotherhood.

-0-0-0-

Storm blearily woke up, wincing as light stung her suddenly sensitive eyes. There was a dull throbbing in the back of her head, combined with an soft itch capering across the entire length of her body. She could ignore it still, but didn't know how much longer before she reverted to her obsessive compulsive persona. "Ugh, my head." she moaned tiredly.

She heard heavy foot falls, accompanied by the slight screech of the metal rings scraping against the bar as Hank pushed her privacy curtains back. "Awake?" he frowned, eying a clock. "Four hours, you shouldn't be awake for at least another two with the sleep pills I gave you."

"I'd like nothing better then to go back to sleep." The Nubian sighed tiredly, "But the feelings are getting worse."

The blue-ape nodded thoughtfully, "I see. Regression doesn't occur because of sleep, then."

"No, no it doesn't." Storm grimaced, "If anything it's gotten worse."

Hank sighed, "This just proves your mutation is at fault." he frowned then, checking his charts. "I'm hesitant to suggest this..."

Storm frowned as the man tapered off. She didn't know what he was about to suggest, but if it would give her some relief she was damn well willing to try it! "What is it, Hank?"

"Well," he sighed, "until we can more accurately diagnose the issue the only tried and true method of release is Ranma."

The door to the lab opened, several of the children staggering in looking like they had gotten into a fight with a lawnmower and lost. Hank blinked, ignoring Storm as he moved to the children. "What happened?"

"Catocalypse." Scott grimaced, taking a seat. "I don't understand it, but a horde of cats attacked the school."

"Even a Tiger!" Kurt threw in, dropping his image inducer and proving he was just as banged up as Scott, several scratches and blood stains marring his otherwise perfect blue pelt.

Storm frowned at the sight of Evan, rising from her bed as she approached him. "Evan?"

The Skater grimaced, "Yeah, cats got me too." he looked at his Aunt curiously, "And, uh, are you feeling better?"

The Nubian woman half-smiled, "Better then yesterday, yes. Come nephew, lay down, I'm sure Hank can give you something if you're feeling any pain."

Hank eyed the woman, "I can." he said, pushing her towards the door, "But for now, shoo. Find Ranma and let him relieve your itch if you can't resist it anymore."

The three boys blinked at that, not finding the choice of words particularly good.

Storm nodded slowly, "If you're sure it's the only way?" she looked to him for confirmation, the blue-ape just shrugged. "Fine, I'll find him and get my hands on him." she finished as she nearly strutted out the door.

"Aunty?" Evan really, really didn't like the way she said that.

-0-0-0-

Ranma whistled merrily to himself, opening the refrigerator and taking a peek inside.

Kitty frowned. She had waited for the others to leave, Rogue and Jean heading upstairs while the boys went to see Hank after their encounter with the Horde of felines. Alone at last, she would finally get to investigate everything she had witnessed that day. Stepping up to him, she pulled on his sleeve, "Ranma, like, we need to talk."

Ranma glanced at her curiously, "Hmm?"

"What happened back there?" She pouted adorably, "Like, you were totally scared even if you weren't showing it!"

"I, er, wasn't scared of nothing!" The boy defended himself stonily.

Kitty snorted cutely, "Ranma, I felt you shivering the entire escape! The moment you laid eyes on those cats it was like the boy I knew and liked was gone!" she frowned, "Sure, you like didn't show it, but, like, I could tell. You were scared. Why?"

"Eh." Ranma sighed, closing the door to the refrigerator as he stared at the girl.

Kitty upped her pout, adding a quivering lip for good measure.

"Bah!" The pigtailed boy sighed. "Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Like, cross my heart and hope to die!" Kitty chirruped seriously.

"It's called the Neko-ken alright?" he grimaced, "My pops tried to teach me this ultimate technique, but the training for it was pretty much starving a bunch of cats and then tossing me in dressed in food." he shuddered despite himself, "Cats clawing, biting, and tearing me up to get the food is the point of it all."

Kitty felt a little off-balanced by that. She had been expecting him to admit to ailurophobia, not go into an explanation concerning a torture session from his past.

"Eventually." He continued, eyes a bit unfocused, "You break in the head, that's when you learn the Neko-ken. Gives you the strengths of the cat, Ki-claws, sharpened senses and what not." he shrugged tiredly, "Only thing is you can't use it unless you go crazy. If those cats had gotten a hold of me and if I couldn't get away in time, well, then I'd snap again and go Neko-ken."

"Like, ouch." Kitty almost wished she hadn't pressed the issue. That didn't sound fun at all, and frankly she was surprised the boys father, heck any father, would subject their children to something like that. "Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it." Ranma shrugged, "It isn't your fault."

"But I could have gotten away!" Kitty pointed out tiredly, "You know my power, I could have used it and escaped and not put anyone through what happened today." she sniffled a little, "Stupid Kitty." she bonked herself on the head.

Ranma frowned, gently putting his hands on the her shoulders. "It's not your fault." he said firmly, "You were only doing what Xavier asked you to do by not using your powers. And seriously, sooner or later I imagine Taryn would have caught some one who couldn't escape, so it's a good thing she got hold of you first."

"Like, how is that a good thing?" Kitty grimaced, not liking the way he said that.

"Because it was you." He said with a small smile, "You're my best friend Kitty, I'd never leave you behind." he finished sincerely.

Kitty blushed, pressing her fingers together cutely. "Ah, gee, like, thanks."

Ranma grinned, patting her shoulders before turning back to the refrigerator.

She frowned internally as he poured himself a drink. The mild silence after his admission and her thanks reminding her of something important, and it was something she very much dreaded hearing the answer too, but knew she had to ask anyway. "Like, Taryn said something I'm curious about."

"Oh?" Ranma finished pouring himself a glass of milk, putting the jug back in the fridge.

"Like, is it true you're engaged?" Kitty unknowing crossed her fingers as she asked, hoping against hope it wasn't true.

"Eh?" the boy blinked, then shrugged, "Yeah."

"Really?" she sighed tiredly, leaning against the counter dejectedly, "S'not fair."

Ranma frowned. The girl looked so depressed the moment he had admitted to having dumb fiancees! It irked him to see her like that, especially over girls who annoyed him at the best of times. "Kitty." he began, seriously. "I don't want to marry any of them. They may want to marry me and all that crap, but in the end it takes two people to say 'I do' right?" He wasn't even lying. Sure, he may have thought marrying Ukyo or... Akane wouldn't have been so bad, but that didn't mean he wanted to marry them right now or anything. Shampoo was cute too, if he was being honest with himself. He just didn't think he could come to grips with living in a backwater village, or a restaurant, or even at the Tendo Dojo for the rest of his life.

Kitty frowned, confusion marring her cute features, "But, like, you're engaged! Like, you don't become engaged unless you ask to marry them, right?"

"Eh." he shrugged, "Maybe for normal people, yeah, but this is all my dumb pops fault." he frowned, "I've never asked anyone to marry me, stupid panda made these arrangements before I was even born." he snorted, "Not like I'm going to cover for his screw ups if I can help it."

The California girl was trying to wrap her head around that. Honestly it sounded bizarre even to her, but it chimed with the sound of hope to her. "So, like, you don't want to marry them?"

"No." Ranma shrugged, "End of it all I don't think we'd make a good couple, y'know? You have to like the person you marry, and I just don't like them like that."

"So, like, do you like me like that?" She crossed her fingers again, utterly ignorant of the fact he could see her doing it.

"Heh." Ranma stalled for time, slowly drinking his milk as he thought about what to say. In the end he decided to stick with the truth. "I said you were my best friend, didn't I?"

Kitty hmmed thoughtfully at that. "So, like, would you be my boyfriend?"

"Uh." He tried to digest that, thinking of the implications of being the girls boyfriend. He really couldn't see a reason to say no, well aside from the Fiancees but they weren't there and he didn't think he'd care even if they were. Kitty was doing something none of the other girls had tried before, and it touched him in a way he didn't think possible. She was asking. No threats, no demands, and it wasn't being forced on her like it had been with Akane, she was simply asking him. He smiled in the end, "Long as you don't mind the whole curse thing I'd, well, I'd like that." he suddenly staggered back as the peppy girl hugged him tightly, enduring her excited squeals with good grace.

-0-0-0-

Logan glanced over the maps with a frown, "I dunno Chuck, do you think you can get permission to go that deep into rural China?"

Xavier, sitting in front of Cerebro with his amplification helmet resting on his bald head, softly spoke back. "Already have it. I'm currently arranging refueling way-points for the trip there and back."

The feral-like man grunted. He had to admit, being a telepath with a toy that could amplify your mind across the entire world was damn useful. "So we're just gonna go there, see what we can find, maybe grab some of that cursed water crap and let Hank examine it?"

"Essentially." Xavier shrugged, "The key to curing Ranma, and by extension stop what is affecting Storm lies there. I for one do not cherish the possibility of another Cinnamon roll spree like the one I endured yesterday."

"Or Lemonade." Logan snarled.

"Excuse me?" Both men froze, slowly, ever so slowly turning to face the Nubian woman standing just inside the doorway. She had this wicked look about her, and while neither man could see a tray of lemonade or a pan of cinnamon rolls, neither would be surprised if she conjured them from thin air.

"Storm!" Logan immediately groveled, repositioning himself beside Xavier, trying his damnedest to put the crippled man between him and the woman.

"Coward!" Xavier snapped, glancing at the woman. "Ah, Storm. Didn't see you there."

The woman smiled, shutting the door as she moved towards them. "It's okay. I was actually looking for Ranma, but since my two favorite... people are here, I thought I'd stop and see how they were doing."

Xavier sweated. "Ah, yes, doing fine! Nothing wrong with me!"

"Right." Logan echoed in tandem, "Nothing here but us bunnies."

Storm blinked. "What?"

"Eer, ah," The feral-like man grimaced, quickly pushing Xavier's chair over before lunging to the left. "better you than me Chuck ole buddy!"

The Nubian woman blinked as Xavier fell to the ground, crying indignantly at the treatment. Logan rushing from the room made her feel strangely irritated, but she ignored the feeling as she moved to help the Professor up. "Charles!" She breathed, "Are you okay?"

Xavier winced, realizing he was once again left alone with the woman. "Ah, yes, I'm perfectly fine." he said as the woman got him situated. "But enough about me. How are you?"

Storm stared at the man for a moment, frowning ever so slightly at his nervous look. "I'm not completely crazy just yet, if that's what you're asking."

"That is what I was asking." Xavier affirmed bluntly, "And when you say you aren't completely crazy, does that mean you soon will be?"

Ororo sighed, shaking her head. Really she supposed she shouldn't be surprised at how both men were acting, it just irked her to think the two people she had grown closest two over the years were so darn afraid of her. "Not if I can find Ranma, no."

"Ah." Xavier nodded, "I take it this means sleep isn't a regression factor?"

"Hank said as much." Storm shrugged. "As long as I can keep in physical contact with Ranma I should be able to hold the worst of the effects back until we can find a cure."

Xavier nodded, wheeling around to face Cerebro. "We are making plans to discover the cure, rest assured of that." he clicked a few buttons, nodding. "I believe Ranma is in the gymnasium practicing." he turned back to Storm, finding her eyes glued to the camera showing the boy performing acrobatic flips. "Storm?"

Ororo blinked, looking at the man and smiling saucily, "Hmm? Yes Professor?" her tone was starting to tread the realm of husky.

The Professor frowned. That was interesting, he could literally detect through social cues just how quick the woman was losing the battle. If it kept up at this rate he wouldn't be surprised if she snapped and tried to make him her bitch again! That was simply something he could not allow. "I order you! Run Storm, run to Ranma and get your hands on his flesh!"

"Sir, yes sir!" the woman lazily saluted as she sauntered out the room.

Xavier grinned after she had left, looking at the screen seriously. "Better you then me, Ranma. Thanks friend."

-0-0-0-

Jean smiled as she left the changing room. Kitty was practically gushing her success in snaring a boyfriend, Ranma no less, that she couldn't help but feel absolutely happy for the girl. Even Rogue couldn't stop smiling as the girl gushed, which the red-head was extremely thankful for. Given he was the only one she knew she could touch she had half expected the girl to get angry, and while their was a twinge of jealousy it was far less then what she expected.

Ranma was there, ignoring his surroundings as he performed acrobatic displays of agility and strength. He'd occasional kick out, or punch some invisible target as he moved, maybe some kind of Shadowboxing? "Hey Ranma." she said, stopping a handful of paces away from her instructor.

The pigtailed boy landed with a flourish, rolling his head and popping his neck. "Hey."

"Congratulations." Jean grinned brightly, "Kitty's telling us all about a certain boyfriend she just got."

"Aw." he blushed, cutely scratching the back of his neck. "Thanks."

Jean didn't respond immediately, instead going about her stretches. "Maybe we can do a double date?"

Ranma blinked. "What?"

"You know, me and Duncan and you and Kitty?" she explained, missing the sudden relieved look on the boy. "See a movie? Maybe some dinner? Have a good time."

Ranma nodded slowly, "Eh, I didn't know you were dating that guy."

"Hmm?" Jean glanced at the boy, "We've been boyfriend and girlfriend for over a year now."

"Really?" the boy blinked, "Eh, wow. I, well, never thought the guy was your type."

Jean sighed, mumbling to herself. "Not sure he is my type." she glanced at him again, "He's sorry for bullying Toad, by the way."

"Oh?" the pigtailed boy shrugged, "That's good." he said as the others started coming out of the changing rooms. Jean continued her stretching, effectively ending their conversation as the others joined and started their own stretches. Ranma waited until they were finished before barking, "Alright, give me a line!"

No fuss this time, which he was grateful for. As much as he understood the need to lay down the law, that didn't mean he enjoyed physically beating them down just so they would listen. "Today we're going to review the stances I showed you Wednesday, see if you managed to remember them and..." he glanced back as the doors to the Gym opened, frowning as Storm strolled in with a confidant gait, "... correct your forms if you..." she was heading right for him. He couldn't help but feel unnerved by her expressive blue eyes staring into his own grey-blue. "... uh, forgot, uh."

Storm stepped up to him, grinning slightly. The kids were stone faced, but you didn't need to be a martial artist to see just how nervous they were at the Nubian woman's presence. "Hello, Ranma." her tone was entirely inappropriate, a mix of lusty and husky that set him on edge.

"Ah, Storm." he gulped nervously, "How, uh, how are you, uh." he tapered off as the woman wrapped her arms around his neck, stepping up and laying her head gently against his cheek. He could feel slight shudders through her body, but nothing nearly as overpowering as the day before.

Evan blinked, "What the?"

Jean turned her head, blushing pink. She didn't care if she wasn't using her powers, she had already tasted exactly what Storm felt when Ranma touched her.

Scott coughed loudly, trying to catch the two instructors attention.

"Hey!" Kitty pouted.

Ranma chuckled nervously, "Uh, Storm, uh."

Ororo took in deep relaxing breaths, pulling back one arm and sliding a hand down his chest until she grabbed one of his hands. Grip firm, she pulled back, smiling serenely. "Much better." her tone was neutral again, her blue eyes focused as she glanced towards the line of students. "Forgive me for interrupting, I needed some..." she drifted off for a moment, trying to think of a way to explain it, "... medication."

Evan frowned, dangerously. "Okay, what? And get your hands off my aunt!" he snapped, glaring at the boy.

Ranma rolled his eyes, "Whatever." he glanced at the other kids, "Okay, quick explanation. Storm's been crazy, and it's all my fault, okay? My curse supposedly attracts water, causing weather patterns to shift and the like, but she's been subconsciously negating it's effects. Now, looks like my aura is attacking her, probably trying to get rid of whatever is stopping it. Any questions?" he asked.

Everyone but Jean and Storm raised their hands.

"To damn bad." Ranma snapped, glancing to Jean. "Jean, twenty laps around the Gym. You lead em."

The red-head nodded, turning and starting the run. The others followed quick enough, with Evan lingering behind to stare for a bit.

Ranma waited until they were gone before glancing at the older woman. "So, uh, I'm medication?"

Storm shrugged, "Sleep doesn't reverse the effects, apparently only by negating my mutation am I able to recover."

"Ah." the boy sighed, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." she said softly, "You didn't know this would happen."

"Just the same." Ranma shrugged, "I mean, you went through hell for what, two days? And now we gotta keep touching or you'll go nuts again."

"True." she allowed, "But as long as you keep what happened when you touched me, both the first time and this time, a secret you'll find I'm quick to forgive."

Ranma blinked, looking at her seriously, "Keep what a secret now?"

Storm just looked at him.

"What?" he nervously asked.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" She moved to clarify.

Ranma frowned thoughtfully. She had given him some clues, something that happened both this time and last time, but the only thing even remotely similar were the body spasms. What the devil would body spasms have... wait a minute. "You're saying you, uh..." he blushed, "... and it happened when I touched you?"

Storm snorted, "Get your head out of the gutter, young man. You do not have 'the touch'."

"Wow." the boy shook his head, "Just wow."

-0-0-0-

TBC:

Note on Kitty/Ranma shippers: They are boyfriend and girlfriend, I will not say this is a final match up or any such rubbish. Until you see me outright state, or list it on my character listing or whatever, do not assume this is the end all be all. While the whole relationship dynamic is nice and fun, I'm starting to diverge into more pertinant plot points in order to advance the story and such. Things can happen, things can break them apart. I'm not saying it isn't the final pairing, I'm just saying you shouldn't except it since they are seeing each other at this point in time.

Note on Storm: Yeah, I'm going to be bulldozing through this sub-plot within the next few chapters. Things will happen, people will go to Jusenkyo, and as things generally go some one may even be cursed! You'll just have to wait and see. I do plan to screw around with this bit while it lasts.

Note on Taryn: She sees herself as the only true line of defense for Bayville. If I had to describe her I'd say she was similar to Batman, with many useful gadgets that lets her do things most people couldn't do (Like the gushing wind from her shoes when she jumped off the roof). She is not a mutant, or has not revealed any such power.

Note on the Fiancees: This is a matter of opinion, shippers for the various fiancee's may as well stop reading. There are future plot points that make them completely and truly unavailable, and to break away from the cliche I'll come right out and say it's not even their fault what happens.

Anyway, unrevised/unedited. C&C and all that jazz.


End file.
